Book cover titled 'Dal Chawal' featuring a bowl of Dal and rice, with text indicating it contains 85 vegetarian Indian recipes combining Dal and rice, authored by Sapna Punjabi.

Dal Chawal,

published by Hardie Grant Publishing, is a celebration of traditional Indian comfort food through lentils and rice, which together form the foundation of a homestyle Indian vegetarian diet. This is Sapna Punjabi's first cookbook, and we shot this in her home with her family in Dallas. Recipes, ingredients, lifestyle, all while sharing some delicious bites.

Client: Hardie Grant Publishing USA

Cookbook: Dal Chawal April '25

Food & Prop Stylist: Kristina Wolter

Photographer: Nitya Jain

Location: Dallas, TX

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Metal tray with seven bowls filled with various spices and herbs, placed on a red tiled floor.
Spread of Indian snack foods and ingredients on a tiled surface, including a large bowl of chaat with pomegranate seeds, chopped onions, and cilantro, round potato chips, small bowls of syrup, chopped onions, ground spices, sev, and pomegranate seeds
Three different types of colorful drinks in glassware on a round, gold-colored tray
Close-up of green cardamom pods scattered together.
Assorted spices, pulses, and rice arranged in small wooden bowls and scoops on a yellow background, accompanying a text about Indian comfort food dal chawal.
Three bowls of Indian rice dishes placed on a green banana leaf. The bowls contain different types of seasoned rice garnished with green curry leaves.
A hand sprinkling salt on a bowl of chickpeas and chopped vegetables, with the person wearing a gold bracelet and an orange, embroidered traditional garment in the background.
Stack of crispy radish and chive flatbreads garnished with shredded radish salad on a white plate.
Close-up of overlapping wooden planks with various textures and shades of brown, orange, and gray.
Various bowls and glasses of pink dessert garnished with chopped pistachios and rose petals on a yellow background.
A bowl of chopped green beans garnished with spices and leaves, with a yellow plate of rice in the background.
Top-down view of an Indian meal with fried onion fritters, green chutney, soy sauce, tea, and a snack, on a colorful table.
Plate of yellow Indian rice dish garnished with pomegranate seeds and chopped herbs, on a blue surface.
Text about Dal Chawal, a traditional Indian vegetarian dish made with lentils and rice, from a cookbook by Hardie Grant Publishing. The text explains its cultural significance, origin in her home in Dallas, and mentions recipes, ingredients, lifestyl
Close-up of various spices and seeds on a vibrant red-orange surface.
A traditional Indian meal served on a round metal platter containing white rice, vegetable curries, a mixed vegetable salad with beans and corn, cooked broccoli with spices, and pickled vegetables.
An assortment of fresh vegetables, breadsticks, crackers, a jar of mixed nuts, and a bowl of creamy hummus with microgreens.
Four women and one man sharing tea in a living room with a colorful Indian finery and religious artwork on the wall.
Assorted spices, herbs, and sauces for cooking on a wooden surface, including ginger, dried chili peppers, cilantro, cumin seeds, coconut flakes, and sauces in small white bowls with wooden spoons.
A woman in a pink embroidered top sitting at a table with pots and bowls, smiling and resting her face on her hand in a warmly lit room.
Dried green and yellow herbs or leaves with stems.
Two drinks on a wooden surface: a tall glass of pale yellow lemonade with floating lime wedges and a short glass of frothy iced coffee or tea.
A pink plate with a colorful mixed vegetable salad on a teal surface, with a silver fork resting on the edge of the plate. The salad contains finely chopped vegetables, herbs, and lemon wedges.
A bowl of yellow polenta topped with black pepper, herbs, and spices.
A table with a bowl of soup, three glasses of yellow beverage, a plate with lemon slices, and a vase with pink flowers against a tile wall.
Assorted ingredients for cooking in a stainless steel pan, including sesame seeds, flax seeds, shredded coconut, coriander seeds, garlic cloves, bay leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, and dried red chili peppers.
Tray of nine round, gold-colored desserts topped with crushed nuts, placed on an ornate silver tray, with another similar tray held by a hand, on a blue and gold patterned tablecloth, with a white and pink flower nearby.
A person holding a light green ceramic mug filled with a hot beverage, with Hindi script written on the mug, against a purple background.

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