Mysore Bonda Recipe

Soak

Rinse urad dal in several changes of water until water runs mostly clear. Soak urad dal with fenugreek seeds in enough water to cover for 3–4 hours. Separately rinse raw rice and soak it with poha for 3–4 hours as well.

Grind

Drain urad dal and grind it in a wet grinder or high-power blender with 2–3 tablespoons of water to a smooth, light, and fluffy batter. Transfer to a bowl. Grind the rice and poha together with 1 tablespoon of water to a slightly grainy but smooth paste. Combine rice-poha paste with the urad batter and mix thoroughly. The final batter should be thick but spoonable (similar to pancake batter).

Ferment

Add salt and mix well. Cover the bowl and keep in a warm place for 6–8 hours or until the batter doubles in volume and has small air pockets. Fermentation time varies with temperature: warmer climates may take 4–6 hours, cooler ones longer.

Prepare Tempering

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds; when they begin to pop, add the 1/2 tsp urad dal and 1/2 tsp chana dal. Fry until the dals turn golden. Add curry leaves, chopped green chilies, grated ginger and optional chopped onion. Sauté briefly (30–45 seconds) until the onion softens. Turn off heat and allow the tempering to cool slightly.

Fold into Batter

Pour the tempering into the fermented batter. Add crushed black pepper and a squeeze (about 1/4 tsp) of lemon juice if using. Fold gently to incorporate—do not overmix; you want to keep some air in the batter. Adjust salt to taste.

Heat Oil

Pour 3–4 cups oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or kadai and heat over medium-high. The oil temperature should be about 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small batter dollop — it should sizzle and slowly rise to the surface, turning golden in about 50–70 seconds.

Shape Bondas

Wet your hands with water (or lightly oil) to prevent sticking. Take a heaped tablespoon of batter and shape into a loosely rounded ball (about 1.5–2 inches / 4–5 cm diameter). Do not press too densely—bondas should be airy inside. Repeat to make more balls, keeping them on a plate.

Fry

Gently slide 4–6 bondas into hot oil, spacing them so they don't touch. Fry on medium heat, stirring gently to ensure even browning. Fry until they puff up and are deep golden brown on all sides, about 4–6 minutes. If they brown too quickly before cooking through, reduce the heat slightly. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Continue with remaining batter, adjusting oil temperature between batches.

Serve

Allow bondas to rest for 2–3 minutes so the interior sets. Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, or sambar. Mysore bondas are best fresh and crisp.