Indian Bonda Soup with Lentil Fritters

Soups can be the perfect meal to whip up on the lazy winter evenings, and if you're looking to go beyond those basic soups and try something different, give this Bonda soup recipe a shot. 

Packed with Indian flavors and the protein punch from the lentils, this soup is more filling than you'd expect. Scroll down and keep reading to discover more about it. 

What is Bonda Soup?

Bonda soup is a traditional breakfast item in the northern parts of India. It is made up of two key components- the bonda or the vada (lentil fritters) and the soup, which is similar to the famous Indian sambar. Both of these are made using different kinds of lentils and come together beautifully. 

While it is usually consumed for breakfast, it can make for a very filling meal too! 

What Lentils Should I Use For This Soup?

You will actually be using both lentils and mung beans in this recipe. While they are different legumes, you can substitute lentils for mung beans if needed.

You will see two names in the ingredients. For the bonda, or fritters, you will use urad dal which is a tiny split lentil that has a richer nuttier flavor that is ideal for the fritters.

The moong dal is a more traditionally seen yellow split mung bean. These cook fast and soften easily so are ideal for a tasty soup. You can substitute red lentils for the moong dal if needed.

What Can I Use in Place of Asafoetida?

Asafoetida is a common ingredient used in Indian cooking. This spice is a very pungent ingredient that comes from a giant fennel flower.

If you cannot find it in your local market, you can substitute equal amounts of garlic and onion powder. For this recipe, ⅛ teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder would be sufficient.

Ready to give this recipe a shot? Here's a quick rundown of the ingredients, the process, and everything else that you'll need to know. 

Ingredients For the Soup

Lentils and spices are pretty much everything you'll need to make this Bonda soup. 

For the Bonda

• Urad dal or split black gram
• Green chilies
• Fresh ginger
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Oil for frying

For the Dal Soup

• Moong dal
• Fresh ginger
• Green chilies
• Tomato
• Turmeric powder
• Salt
• Water
• Oil
• Mustard seeds
• Asafoetida

To Garnish Bonda Soup

• Green coriander chutney
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Coriander leaves
• Lime or lemon wedges

Kitchen Tools Needed

• Mixing bowls
• Stovetop pressure cooker
• Deep sided skillet
• Small skillet
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mortar and pestle

How to Make Bonda Soup

In a medium bowl, cover the dry urad dal with water. Loosely cover and soak for 4 hours to overnight. Drain the water from the dal and then grind the dal into a paste.

Transfer the dal paste to a large bowl and whisk it for 2 to 3 minutes until it begins to get fluffy. Then, add in the green chiles, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, black pepper, and salt. Stir to combine then set aside to rest for 15 minutes.

In a stovetop pressure cooker, add the moong dal, ginger, green chiles, onions, tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt, and water from the bonda soup ingredients list and cook for 3 to 4 whistles (1o to 15 minutes), or until the dal is softened and well cooked.

In a deep sided skillet or pot, heat vegetable oil for deep frying. Once hot, carefully drop spoons of the urad dal paste mixture into the hot oil. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.

Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown all over. Then, remove from the hot oil and drain on paper towels.

In a small skillet, add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and asafoetida and saute for 2 minutes, stirring regularly, until aromatic.

Pour the hot seasoned oil over the cooked moong dal and stir well to combine.

In a large bowl, place 3 to 4 bonda lentil fritters.

Top with moong dal soup.

Add chopped onions to the top.

A sprinkle of tomatoes.

Then a spoon of green coriander chutney.

Add additional coriander leaves and lemon or lime juice before serving.

Tips to Make the Bonda Soup

And of course, you can never go wrong with some cool tips and tricks. 

• Don't have the coriander chutney? Don't worry. You can make do with some chopped coriander too! 
• Try making the Bonda soup for dinner during the colder months of the year. It can be a nice, comforting meal to dig into, which will be soothing for your body, and at the same time, will take your taste buds for a ride. 
• To add a bit of textural element to the Bonda soup, you can also sprinkle some coconut shavings right before you serve. 
• If the soup itself seems runny, you can thicken it up by mixing in some corn flour slurry before you take it off heat.
• If the dal soup seems to have turned thick, you can add in some water to bring it back to the soup-like consistency. 
• If you're trying to make the soup healthy, you can choose to air fry the fritters instead of deep frying them, and using minimal oil wherever possible. 
• While making the batter for the bondas, remember to keep the batter thick, and add minimal water, only if required. This will help keep the bondas round while they're frying. 
• You can also add a pinch of baking soda into the bonda mixture before you fry it. This will make the bondas extra fluffy and crispy. 
• Make sure you let the bondas fry on medium heat. Keeping the heat too high will cause the bondas to turn golden from the outside, but remain undercooked in the center, and cooking them on a low flame will cause them to soak up too much oil, and not have the perfect texture you're looking for. 
• Remember to assemble the bondas and the soup right before you plan to serve or consume it. Assembling it beforehand will cause the bondas to soak up most of the liquid and turn soggy. 

How to Store the Leftovers

Ended up making more than you needed? The ingredients that make up the Bonda soup can be stored for later too. Just transfer the bondas and the dal into separate airtight containers and refrigerate them if you plan to have them within 2-3 days. 

Ideally, it is best to make the bondas fresh, but if you're into meal prepping, you can totally fry them in advance and store them for a quick meal after you're back home from work. Just remember to let them come to room temperature first, and then drop them in the hot dal base. 

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

Ready to serve the Bonda soup? Here are a few serving ideas & suggestions to get started on. 

• The Bonda soup tastes incredible when paired with a refreshing drink of mango lassi. 
• You can also follow the meal up with a nice Indian dessert like mango shrikhand or sabudana kheer. 
• While the soup can turn into a complete meal in itself, you can also serve it as an appetizer and follow it up with a nice Indian curry like chicken jalfrezi or some Rajma masala and some homemade naan.