Blistered Shishito Peppers
Maybe my easiest recipe
Shishitos are some of my favorite summer produce. They’re crunchy, bite-sized peppers that just need some charring to bring out their flavor (and be warned that about one in every ten are really spicy). Don’t worry too much about burning your tongue off, though, because these are generally a mild pepper.
When I went to Tokyo last year, I savored every grilled shishito I had at the izakayas. My family and I sat at a bar, elbow to elbow with others, and ordered skewer after skewer (and then many subsequent orders) of grilled shishitos, scallions, shiitakes, and chicken. One day, I’ll have to develop recipes for the grilled skewers we had!
Since then, I’ve made wok-blistered shishito peppers at home. I made this dish for a picnic with friends earlier this summer because they’re so easy to make and produce such satisfying results. I was so happy when I saw people get seconds and thirds! The recipe uses gomashio, but if you don’t have that, you can just use sesame seeds and salt. I’ve adjusted this recipe to be a hearty side dish for just 3-4 people. Enjoy this very easy, quick recipe!
the recipe
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 lb shishito peppers
2 Tbsp high-smoke point neutral oil
gomashio to taste
salt to taste
Prepare the peppers to be stir-fried: Heat up a wok or large frying pan to medium high heat. Wash the peppers and dry them with a towel or paper towel.
Stir-fry the peppers: Once the wok is heated, add the peppers and a little bit of salt and stir-fry them until they begin to have some brown or charred edges, which should take about five minutes. Stir-fry them in batches if you need to.
Dress the peppers: Turn off the heat and add the gomashio and salt to taste.
Serve!
Until next time,
Shannon