Don’t Fear The Folate: Lasooni Palak at Dhamaka

My body lugged up the Essex Street steps to Dhamaka in the deepest toils of winter. I needed to restore nutrients after removing a pint of blood for donation. When I selected the lasooni palak dish, I did not expect front row seats to minimalist food theater.
My sherpa lined jacket gristle along my neck when the server approached our table with an unassuming silver pot. He opened the vessel and revealed a pot of greens that warmed the atmosphere surrounding it.

“Goddamn.” Afterwards, I looked over my shoulder and saw another server approaching with a smaller, but just as piping hot sauce pan. My breath sharpened; I sandwiched my tongue between my teeth. I’m witnessing something intimate. In one smooth motion a red river descends from the sauce pan. A chili tadka sizzled and dissipated into the evanescent emerald vortex.

The lasooni-palak is a treat for those red-meat heavy hitters that need to bump up their folate but don’t want to feel like a goat in the process.

After the red merged with the green, the air surrounding our lasooni palak was filled with cumin, garlic and chilies. The combination eviscerated the chill in my body.

I swirled the serving spoon in the pot, then poured it all over my aged basmati rice. The first bite forced the frost out of my fingers. I must try this with something else! I split a buttery soft pao and spread some of the lasooni palak on the bottom half and placed a segment of juicy soft chicken on top. Immediate swoon. The spices, the smoothness across my tongue, I kicked my steel toe boots like a little kid whose feet can’t touch the ground. I forgot I dragged my body to get here.