Grilled Japanese Eggplant with Tahini Sauce

Fellow gardeners, do you ever plant something because you like the look of it, but grow more than you know what to do with? That’s been my relationship to the Japanese eggplants in my garden.

I love to grow them. They hide out trellised against a fence behind my garden bed. They’re a beautiful deep shade of purple, long and elegant.

But unlike tomatoes, you can’t just chop them up and toss them in a salad. Eggplants need to be cooked. Japanese or Asian eggplants are more delicate than their Italian globe brethren. They cook faster, the peels are thinner, and the cooked flesh is creamier.

An easy way to cook this type of eggplant is to grill it, either on a grill or in a grill pan, with high, searing heat. Don’t be afraid of those char marks. They’re delicious. The best part. These grilled eggplant we are serving with a creamy sesame tahini sauce, which works beautifully with the eggplant (and would go great with other veggies as well.)

I have only a few recipes for my garden Japanese eggplants and am always looking for more. So if you have any ideas, please let me know about them in the comments!

Grilled Japanese Eggplant with Tahini Sauce Recipe

If you don't have a grill, you can use a grill pan or a cast iron pan on the stove top. Just spread some oil over the bottom of the pan so the eggplants don't stick, heat on high heat, follow the recipe for preparing the eggplants, and "grill" the eggplants on the hot pan.

Ingredients

• 4 Japanese eggplants (about 1 1/4 pound total)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 3 Tbsp of olive oil

Tahini sauce

• 1/4 cup roasted sesame tahini
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

• Thai basil for garnish

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