Shishito peppers: They may look spicy but are surprisingly mild. The appeal of this versatile ingredient and recipes using them

Have you heard of shishito peppers? Behind this unique name lies a type of chili pepper, just like bell peppers and paprika, and an ingredient that frequently appears in Japanese home cooking. However, shishito peppers are a little different. Although they look spicy, they are actually not very spicy. In this article, we will introduce the appeal of shishito peppers and some recommended recipes

Ingredient introduction: Shishito pepper characteristics and how to choose them

What is a Shishito Pepper?

Shishito peppers may look spicy at first glance, but they are actually a breed that has been bred to be less spicy. Sometimes you'll find some that are spicy mixed in, but this is the result of crossbreeding with a spicy pepper that was nearby. You can't tell the spiciness just by looking at them

Types and characteristics

There are other varieties of this pepper that are similar to the Shishito pepper, such as the long and thin Manganji pepper and the small Fushimi pepper, all of which taste almost the same

Seasonality and how to choose

Shishito peppers are available all year round, but are especially popular in the summer. When choosing them, look for ones that are dark green and firm. Also, be careful not to pick ones that are shriveled at the cut end, as they are no longer fresh

Nutritional benefits

It is rich in vitamin C and also contains carotene

Grilled and pickled chili peppers

Ingredients (4 servings, 15kcal)

• Chili peppers: 24 pieces
• Dashi: 1 cup
• A little boiled egg yolk
• Sake and light soy sauce: appropriate amount

How to make it

1. Preparation : Wash the chili peppers and dry them thoroughly. Poke 2-3 holes in them with the tip of a knife and thread 6 skewers onto each skewer.
2. Combine the seasonings : Place the dashi in a bowl and add 2 teaspoons of sake and 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce.
3. Grilling : Grill the shishito peppers on skewers over an open flame until golden brown. Immediately remove from the skewers and allow to cool in the seasoning.
4. Finishing touches : Once cooled, place in the refrigerator along with the juice, then serve in a serving dish and top with the yolk of a boiled egg.

Chili peppers stuffed with minced meat

Ingredients (4 servings, 100kcal)

• LL chili peppers: 12 pieces
• Ground beef: 100g
• Green onion and ginger: a little each
• Salt, salad oil, soy sauce: appropriate amount

How to make it

1. Preparation : Cut a slit in the chili pepper lengthwise with a knife and remove the seeds with a toothpick. Finely chop the green onion and ginger.
2. Make the filling : Mix the ground beef with the green onion, ginger, and a little salt, then stuff the shishito peppers into the filling. Thread three peppers onto toothpicks.
3. Grilling : Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan and grill the stuffed peppers, flesh side down. Once golden brown, flip them over and continue cooking over low heat.
4. Finishing touch : Finally, drizzle 1 teaspoon of soy sauce over the dish, remove from heat and serve in a serving dish.

These recipes are all easy to make using shishito peppers, which are commonly used in Japanese home cooking. Please try them out at home!

Introducing our special recipes for epi recipes

Olive oil stewed

By making as thin cuts as possible into the Kariruya eggplant, the juices are soaked in a generous amount of flavor and it's delicious.

Olive oil stewed

By making as thin cuts as possible into the Kariruya eggplant, the juices are soaked in a generous amount of flavor and it's delicious.