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A trip to the Asian market left me holding heavy in the fresh herb department. Not wanting to squander a single delicious leaf, I found myself looking for a recipe that would enable me to preserve that fresh flavor for more than one meal. I found the answer in Simply Ming by celebrity chef Ming Tsai. I changed the original recipe a bit to accommodate the ingredients I had on hand, but the general concept is the same. 
Asian-Style Pesto Sauce
Ingredients ~
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, loosely packed
3/4 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preparation ~
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. If necessary, add a little extra oil to adjust the consistency. Store, tightly covered in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes ~
There are several recipes that incorporate this Asian Pesto in Simply Ming. I've adapted chef Tsai's Asian Pesto Chicken Salad to serve up a simple meal using salmon, orzo, grape tomatoes and fresh spinach. Click here for that recipe. For another quick meal, I tossed the pesto over some cellophane noodles to which I added a few chopped scallions and served them with broiled tilapia.