Asian Baby Eggplant Salad

Today at the farmers market there were these beautiful tiny purple and white eggplant. Not having any idea what I was going to do with them I scooped up two pints and brought them home along with six kinds of tomatoes, corn and lots of other end of summer yummies.

I have been eating a lot of tomato and mozzarella or tomato and goat cheese salads so I wanted to prepare the eggplant in a flavor profile other than Mediterranean. SO what could be better than something with fish sauce? Since I was hungry I also wanted to make something fast. Turned out to be both easy and delicious all the while remaining healthy. Win, win, win.

20-baby eggplant – halved

1 T. olive oil

20 cherry tomatoes- halved

20-mint leaves- chopped

20 basil leaves- chopped

Dressing

Juice of two limes

2 Tb. Fish sauce

3 splenda packets

3 dried red chilies – or you can use a ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes

2 cloves of garlic

1 T. olive oil

2 T. fresh ginger-grated

1 T. soy sauce

Heat a non-stick fry pan up to medium high heat and add olive oil and the eggplant. Sautee until golden brown and soft, stirring often. This will take about three minutes.

In a blender or using a stick blender mix all the ingredients for the dressing and whirl until the garlic and the chilies are finely minced.

Mix everything together in a bowl and let sit for a few minutes sot he flavors can marry. Can be served at any temperature, but will be even better then next day..