Waves,

My grandmother was a New Yorker who grew up with the native regional dishes of New York. This was one of her signature dishes. I don't remember the frying and I have seen some recipes that don't call for it.
I do remember her salting the slices of eggplant and letting it drain for a few hours. The she rinsed the salt off, patted dry the slices, . . . Her version seemed to me labor intensive. I've not tried to make it. I wonder if I could teach hubby to make it. When I first met him he used to make a dish with eggplant that called for the salt steps.

The quality frozen versions are pretty close to the restaurant versions.

M