First, let's make the urad dal bonda. This is similar to our Mysore Bonda recipe.

Soak 3/4 cup urad dal in water for an hour.

Drain the water, then grind it into a smooth paste as we do for ulundu vadai.

Just sprinkle a little water while grinding the urad dal.

The batter should be fluffy and smooth.

Add 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tbsp coconut bits, salt to taste, and curry leaves to the batter.

Mix well.

Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.

Take small portions of the batter and make them into bondas.

Deep fry them in a medium flame.

Cook on both sides till golden brown.

Take them out of the oil and drain excess oil with a kitchen towel.

Repeat this for the rest of the batter.

In a saucepan, heat water, then switch off the flame when it is very hot.

Put the fried bondas into this. This will make the bondas soft and allow them to absorb the soup much more easily.

Let this sit for 20 minutes.

Let's make the soup now. It is similar to the South Indian Lemon rasam, the Karnataka people call it Kat saaru. I personally loved the moong dal soup.

Cook 1/2 cup of yellow moong dal in a pressure cooker with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida. Add necessary water.

Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

Once done, take it out and mash it with a ladle.

Add this to a pan and add 3 cups of water.

Chop 1 tomato finely and slit 2 green chilies.

Add the chopped tomato, green chili, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp jaggery, and curry leaves to the moong dal.

Add salt.

Let this boil in a medium flame for 10- 12 minutes.

Stir in between.

Switch off the flame.

Add 1 tbsp grated coconut.

Add the lemon juice and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Actually my friend told me to temper the asafoetida in ghee and add, but i forgot that part. I added asafoetida while the dal mixture is boiling.

You can temper a few pinches of asafoetida in 1 tsp ghee and add it on top of the moong dal soup mixture.

Gently squeeze the bondas from water. Be careful not to break this.

Place this in a serving bowl.

Pour hot moong soup over the top.

Let the bondas get nicely immersed in this moong dal soup.

Serve immediately, garnishing with coriander leaves.