Awesome Asparagus with Tangy Dippin' Sauce

I like asparagus a lot so I don't generally need sauce, but awesome boyfriend is not wild about plain vegetables.  We cooked the asparagus the night before and packed them for lunch with the dipping sauce in a separate container.  I was actually surprised at how good a combination it was.  That sauce is amazing and I'm already thinking about what else I can make with it.

Asparagus ready to go into the pot.  

Ingredients
1 bunch of asparagus
1/2 C mayo
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 lime
1 Tbsp powdered ginger
2 packets of Splenda
salt

Directions

1. Fill a large pot with one inch of water.  
2. Add 2 Tbsp of salt to the water and bring to a boil over high heat.  
3. Once water is boiling add asparagus and turn heat down to low.  The idea here is not to cook the asparagus to a mushy point because they are meant to be eaten as a finger food and dipped in sauce.  Reducing heat will cook them through enough to bite but you'll still be able to pick them up.  Simmer for ten minutes. 
4. While asparagus is cooking, combine mayo, soy sauce, powdered ginger, and Splenda in a bowl with a whisk.  
5. Cut the lime in half lengthwise and squeeze the juice into the mixture.  Be sure to remove seeds.  Combine with a whisk.  
6. Asparagus can be eaten immediately or refrigerated for up to 3 days before eating.  Rewarm in the microwave 15-20 seconds before serving.  Season asparagus with kosher salt, black pepper, or cayenne if desired.  

Notes
You'll notice in my asparagus picture above that these stalks are not full length.  Asparagus has a woody texture at the bottom and that part is not good to eat.  On each stalk, just find the point where the stalk snaps easily and break it.  Throw away the bottom.  Here's a video from Jamie Oliver to show you how it's done.




If the sauce isn't thick enough you might have to add more mayo.  The size of your lime and the amount of juice you are able to get may change the thickness of the sauce.

Some people might prefer fresh grated ginger for a recipe like this, but who is really going to do that?  If you want, you can grate your ginger with a micro plane grater.  I use the stuff in the plastic jar from the spice section.

Update
I whipped up a batch of this sauce and have been using it as salad dressing.  About 2 Tbsp is enough for 1 Cup of chopped romaine and assorted toppings.  It has a great tangy flavor and mixes well if you shake it in a large Ziploc bag.