Urad Dal Bonda Recipe. Crispy South Indian Snack
Tarla Dalal
• Updated : Jan 15, 2026
We have got you a scrumptious urad dal bonda snack made with a batter of urad dal spiked up with pepper and curry leaves. From the cuisine of Karnataka, ulundu bonda is an evergreen favourite South Indian breakfast.
This traditional South Indian style urad dal bonda snack, a specialty of Karnataka, has a beautifully reddish-golden hue, a crisp outer surface and a super-soft inner core, somewhat like bread.
Table of Content
Making South Indian style urad dal bonda is no rocket science it is easy to make. You do not require much ingredients for preparing this dish, we have used minimum and basic of ingredients yet getting an amazing outcome. I personally enjoy having urad dal bonda in monsoons.
To make delicious urad dal bonda recipe, clean wash and soak the urad dal in enough water for at-least 2 hours. Drain well. Blend in a mixer to a smooth paste, adding 2 tbsp of water. Transfer the mixture into a deep bowl, add crushed pepper powder, coconut which would give a mouth feel and also a luscious flavour, add asafoetida as urad dal is hard to digest, add chopped curry leaves. You can even add chopped or pounded ginger and green chilli to perk up the flavours. Mix well. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick kadhai, shape each portion into a round and deep-fry, a few at a time, till they turn golden brown in colour from both the sides. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve urad dal bonda immediately with any chutney of your choice.
urad dal bonda can be served as an evening snack with Chutney, Sambhar and a cup of Coffee, or added to a breakfast platter along with Idli, Dosa or Pongal. Whenever you choose to have it, the crisp outer layer and fluffy insides of the mouth-watering Urad Dal Bonda will surely put a smile on your face.
Tags
Soaking Time
2 hours
Preparation Time
10 Mins
Cooking Time
20 Mins
Baking Time
0 Mins
Baking Temperature
0
Sprouting Time
0
Total Time
30 Mins
Makes
16 bondas
Ingredients
For Urad Dal Bonda
- 3/4 cup urad dal (split black lentils)
- 1/2 tsp coarsely crushed black pepper (kalimirch)
- 1/4 cup chopped coconut
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
- 1 tbsp chopped curry leaves (kadi patta)
- salt to taste
- oil or for deep-frying
Method
For urad dal bonda
- To make urad dal bonda, clean, wash and soak the urad dal in enough water in a deep bowl for atleast 2 hours. Drain well.
- Blend in a mixer to a smooth paste, adding approx. 2 tbsp of water.
- Transfer the mixture into a deep bowl, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Heat the oil in a deep non-stick kadhai, drop big spoonfuls of the mixture in hot oil and deep-fry a few at a time on a medium flame, till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides. Drain on absorbent paper.
- Serve the urad dal bonda immediately.
Urad Dal Bonda Recipe. Crispy South Indian Snack Video by Tarla Dalal
Urad Dal Bonda, Ulundu Bonda recipe with step by step photos
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See the photo of list of ingredients for urad dal bonda recipe.
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To prepare the batter for urad dal bonda, clean, wash and soak the 3/4 cup urad dal (split black lentils)in enough water in a deep bowl for atleast 2 hours.
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Drain well.
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Transfer the soaked and drained dal to a mixer jar. If you have access to a wet grinder, then make use of it to grind the bonda batter as it not only yields more batter but also gives a beautiful texture.
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Add approx. 2 tbsp of water. Do not add too much water as the bonda batter should be thick enough to hold the shape on dropping. They even have a tendency to absorb more oil if there is a lot of moisture in the batter.
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Blend in a mixer till you get a smooth, thick and fluffy mixture.
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Transfer the mixture into a deep bowl.
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Add all the remaining ingredients starting with 1/2 tsp coarsely crushed black pepper (kalimirch).
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Add ¼ cup 1/4 cup fresh chopped coconut. They give a nice bite to the soft bonda.
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Add a little 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing) as urad dal is slightly heavy to digest.
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Add 1 tbsp chopped curry leaves (kadi patta). Also, you can toss in a little chopped ginger-green chilli for enhanced flavour.
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Add salt to taste. Add salt only when you are ready to fry the bondas. Resting the batter with salt for more time will make the batter runny and watery.
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Mix well and our ulundu bonda batter is ready.
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For frying the urad dal bonda, heat the oil in a deep non-stick kadhai.
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Shape a portion into a round and carefully drop in the hot oil. You can grease your hands with water if you are finding it difficult to drop the urad dal bonda.
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Similarly, drop 4-5 Mysore bajji in oil. If you do not want round bonda, then simply drop the batter using a spoon.
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Turn over and cook on both sides. Cook on a low medium flame or else the inside will remain uncooked.
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Deep-fry till they turn golden brown in colour from both sides.
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Drain Ulundu Bonda on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
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Serve the urad dal bonda immediately with any chutney.
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- What is Urad Dal Bonda (Ulundu Bonda)?
It’s a traditional South Indian deep-fried snack made from a batter of soaked urad dal that’s flavoured with pepper, coconut and curry leaves, resulting in a crisp outside and soft inside. - What key ingredients are used in this recipe?
The main ingredients are urad dal (split black lentils), coarsely crushed black pepper, chopped coconut, asafoetida (hing), curry leaves, salt and oil for deep-frying. - How long should the urad dal be soaked?
Soak urad dal in enough water for at least 2 hours before grinding into a batter. - Can I grind the batter too watery?
No add only about 2 tablespoons of water while grinding; too much water makes the batter runny and the bondas absorb more oil. - Do I need to add salt before grinding?
Salt is added after grinding and just before frying so that the batter doesn’t turn runny over time. - How do I shape the bondas?
Shape the thick batter into rounds with your hands (or use a spoon) and carefully drop them into hot oil for deep-frying. - What’s the best way to fry them?
Heat oil in a deep pan on medium flame and fry the bondas a few at a time until they turn golden brown on both sides. - How many servings does this recipe make?
The recipe yields about 16 bondas from the given quantity. - How many calories are in one bonda?
One bonda (~25 g) provides around 96 calories, with most calories coming from fat due to deep-frying. - What are good accompaniments for Urad Dal Bonda?
Serve hot bondas with chutney, sambar, or as part of a breakfast platter with idli, dosa, or pongal; they’re also great as an evening snack with tea or coffee.
If you liked this Urad Dal Bonda Recipe then also check out other recipes like:
1. Soak Dal Properly
Soak the urad dal for the recommended 2 hours this softens the dal, helps grind a smooth batter and improves digestibility. Avoid over-soaking as it can make the batter too watery.
2. Grind to the Right Consistency
Grind the dal with very little water so the batter stays thick and fluffy too much water makes it absorb more oil and lose shape.
3. Don’t Add Salt Too Early
Add salt just before frying to prevent the batter from becoming runny this helps keep bondas crisp and firm when frying.
4. Toss in Extra Flavours
Adding crushed black pepper, chopped coconut, curry leaves and optionally green chilli or ginger will deepen aroma and enhance texture.
5. Heat Oil Correctly
Ensure the oil is hot but not smoking before dropping batter moderate heat cooks bondas evenly inside while producing a golden-crisp exterior.
6. Shape Smartly
Wetting your hands slightly before shaping helps form smooth round bondas without sticking. A consistent size also ensures even frying.
7. Avoid Overcrowding the Pan
Fry a few bondas at a time. Overcrowding lowers oil temperature and results in soggy, oily bondas.
8. Drain Excess Oil
After frying, place bondas on absorbent paper to remove excess oil and keep them light and crisp.
9. Serve Fresh
Bondas are crispiest when served immediately pair them with coconut chutney, sambhar, or coffee for the best experience.
Nutrient values (Abbrv)per plate
| Energy | 96 Calories |
| Protein | 2.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6.2 g |
| Fiber | 1.5 g |
| Fat | 6.8 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 4 mg |
Click here to view Calories for Urad Dal Bonda, Ulundu Bonda
The Nutrient info is complete
sathyamoorthy.u
June 21, 2021, 7:45 p.m.
Experienced foodcrafdt experts like you can help guide the readers how to adapt MODERN AIR-FRYERS for cooking Indian recipes -particularly south indian food items. If you have published any books or articles kindly send them to me. Thanks in advance.
Tarla Dalal
June 21, 2021, 7:45 p.m.
No we have not made any books on this yet.
Payal Parikh 86
Jan. 17, 2021, 4:35 p.m.
This recipe is great to serve for snacks with a hot cup of tea or coffee. They are very crispy and best to be served immediately.
neha agarwal
July 13, 2019, 8:44 a.m.
Winnie
July 7, 2019, 4:23 p.m.
These bondas turned out so delicious.The pepper and coconut gives a nice taste.Made it so many times as everyone at home loved it.
Awadhesh
April 6, 2015, 3:02 p.m.
Ok
