Shishito peppers are small green peppers, wrinkled looking and thin-skinned, with a light grassy, citrus flavor. 1 in 10 peppers is hot but generally, they are quite mild.
In this recipe, I will show you how to char the peppers on the grill, then serve them basted with a sweet and savory sesame glaze. Enjoy these shishito peppers as a side dish with grilled chicken or steak, or on their own for a delicious snack.
Chef notes:
Shishito peppers can be cooked in a frying pan on high heat instead of the grill, and don't need to be skewered.
Specialty equipment:
Grill
Skewers
Yield: serves 2–4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Shishito Peppers
Canola oil
½ lb shishito peppers
Sesame Glaze
1 tbsp sesame oil
¼ cup onion, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tsp water
Toasted sesame seeds
Korean red pepper flakes
For the peppers
Preheat a grill on high heat.
Skewer the shishito peppers with two large skewers, at the top and bottom of each pepper. This will make it easy to turn and char the peppers evenly.
Drizzle the peppers with a small amount of oil and set aside while you prepare the sauce.
For the sesame glaze
Pour the sesame oil into a small saucepot on high heat.
Add the onions and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Once the onions are starting to brown add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and bring it to a boil.
Mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry and whisk it into the sauce. Turn off the heat and place into a bowl for basting the shishito peppers.
Finishing the plate
Add the skewered peppers to the grill and char them for about 2 minutes.
Turn the peppers over to char the other side and start brushing them with the sesame glaze.
Cook for 5–7 minutes, turning every 2 minutes and brushing them with glaze.
Turn off the grill and serve the peppers on a platter, brushed with more glaze, and garnished with a pinch of Korean red pepper flakes and toasted sesame seeds. Serve the charred shishitos with the rest of the glaze for dipping.
©chefalisonbiebs