Simple Pleasures- Japanese inspired aubergine salad

I used to have a love hate relationship with aubergines, they were always to difficult to cook, and rarely tasted right. If grilled they seemed to turn to leather, and fried soaked up about 1000 L of oil.  The only way they worked for me was in something like Baba Ganoush, where the roasted smokey flesh was separated from the hard to cook skin.

Then I went to a Japanese restaurant and had an aubergine salad - what a revelation, tender delicate, salty with soy, acidic and spicy. Over some months I made it my mission to recreate this, and after so much trial and error I did. At this juncture I'm pretty sure that the salad isn't authentic (in fact I don't even know if the dish I ate originally was !) hence Japanese inspired. But it is delicious, and a total crowd pleaser.

The trick is to add water to the frying aubergines when the oil has been absorbed, makes them tender and also way less greasy. It is a bit of an experiment to gauge when to add the water, but you soon get the hang of it.

You will need (for about 4 people as a side dish):
2 aubergines
soy sauce
lime juice
1 finely sliced clove of garlic ( more if you like garlic)
sesame oil
coriander - again how much is really personal taste
couple of spring onions finely sliced
Namani Tograshi seasoning

Slice the aubergines, cutting large ones in half.I usually salt them, put into a colander and stick a weight on them to remove excess water for about 30 mins. Rinse and dry them.
In a frying pan add a slosh of oil, and when its hot add some aubergine slices, the pan should be on a medium heat, when the slices have been cooked for about 3/4 mins on each side the oil will have disappeared, and this is when I add the water. About a tablespoon or less. Then cook the aubergines until they are tender and soft, this is variable but maybe another 5 mins. Sometimes the aubergines excude the oily water mix, and the next batch won't need any more oil, only water.
Transfer the cooked aubergine to a bowl/ plate and sprinkle on the Namani Tograshi, its fine to overlap layers of aubergine.
Make a dressing I use about 50- 60% soy to equal parts lime juice and sesame oil and into the dressing add the garlic and then pour over the aubergines. Add the spring onions and coriander.
I usually let it stand at room temperature for an hour is so before eating.
I have made this without the Namani Tograshi, which is a mixed spice powder,  and it's still delicious but if you can get some it does make a difference.
I've also used chilli oil or olive oil in place of sesame oil

Usually eaten with my version of katsu curry and tempura vegetables but really good with bbq steak when its warm enough to eat outside, some time in 2019 I'm anticipating !

Has anyone else adapted recipes in this way ? And if so what reaction have they got ?