There's something in the air around here. I've been on an Asian kick for the past week. Sushi, stir fries, sweet-and-sour - I just can't get enough of it! Two of my Asian favorites are sweet-and-sour eggplant, and peanut sauce with stir-fried peppers and water chestnuts.

Sweet-and-Sour Eggplant

Here in Montana, I had to leave most of my eggplant in the garden as long as I could. It just doesn't get hot enough here to grow bumper crops of eggplant, but I'm pleased to say that the season closed with the harvest of a few beauties. My college friend Ambrose gave me this eggplant recipe years ago, and it's fantastic.

• 3-4 eggplants, small dice


• 1/2 cup peanut oil


• 1/2 cup ginger root (about 1 medium/small piece), small dice


• 1/4 cup garlic (about 1 medium/small bulb), small dice


• 1/8 cup sesame oil


• 1/2 cup soy sauce


• 1/2 cup sugar


• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Directions: Saute eggplant in peanut oil until brown (can't really overcook). Set aside to cool. Saute garlic and ginger in sesame oil until slightly caramelized. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook over low heat for 3 min. Mix with eggplant and let sit for at least an hour. Serve hot or cold.

This stuff is delicious over rice or noodles, but my favorite is with pita bread triangles toasted in the oven. That's the best kitchen tip I've got: Dress up any dip or dish with toasted pita triangles. They're easy prep and much prettier than your standard dipping chip.

Peanut Sauce with Stir-Fried Peppers and Water Chestnuts

I learned of this peanut sauce recipe while hiking in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness a few years ago. Someone on the trip brought a plastic jar of this stuff on the trail, and after a day of hard hiking, I thought this was the best sauce I'd ever eaten. I don't know if you're familiar with the phenomenon where food tastes better when you're tired, in the middle of the woods, and without a variety of resource, but this sauce has nothing to do with that. It was just as good when I tried it at home, and I got to eat twice as much because I didn't have to share.

• 1/2 cup peanut butter


• 1/2 cup warm water


• 2 Tbsp tamari


• 2 Tbsp sugar


• 1 tsp rice vinegar (or other white vinegar)


• 3 cloves garlic, chopped


• 1 inch slice of ginger root, grated or chopped


• cilantro, cayenne, and salt, to taste

The original directions suggest that you mix the peanut butter with warm water first, but I like to mix the warm water with all of the other ingredients, mix in the peanut butter, and then add extra water to taste. If you have time, letting the sauce sit before serving allows all the flavors to mix nicely.

Stir-fry whatever you can find in your garden. It's been cold around here, and my pickings are pretty slim. I was able to round up a few peppers for this, but there wasn't much else that hasn't been canned or frozen (some by me, and some by the frost!). The peanut sauce really takes front and center with this dish, so you can slip in whatever veggies you like.