Bonito flakesDrop a handful on the hot peppers and watch them curl.
Flaky sea saltScatter it while the peppers are hot so it sticks to the skins.
Japanese pepper (sansho)Dust on a little at the table, as you would black pepper.
Lemon wedgesSqueeze one over the pan the moment it comes off the heat.
Miso glazeThin the miso with a little water and brush it on near the end.
Seven-spice chili powder (shichimi togarashi)A pinch over the top for people who want every pepper hot.
Soy sauce and butterAdd both to the hot pan at the end and toss until glossy.
Dips 6
Citrus soy sauce (ponzu)Pour it into a small dish and dip, or splash it over the whole plate.
Garlic aioliHold a pepper by the stem and dip the blistered end.
Sriracha mayonnaiseStir the two together to taste and add a squeeze of lime.
Warm anchovy and garlic dipKeep it warm in a small pot and dip the peppers stem up.
Wasabi mayonnaiseStart with a little wasabi and taste before adding more.
Whipped ricotta with lemonSpread it on a plate and pile the hot peppers on top.
From the same grill 4
Chicken and scallion skewers (negima)Thread a pepper between the pieces of chicken, or grill them side by side.
Chicken meatball skewers (tsukune)Glaze the meatballs and leave the peppers plain with salt.
Grilled steak, slicedRest the steak, slice it and heap the peppers alongside.
Miso-marinated black codA few peppers beside the fish cut through its sweetness.
With rice or noodles 5
Cold somen noodlesServe the peppers hot on a side plate and the noodles ice cold.
Ginger porkFry the peppers in the same pan after the pork and serve both over rice.
Grilled eel over rice (unadon)Lay the peppers on the rice next to the eel.
Rice bowl with a soft eggBreak the yolk over the rice and lay the peppers on top.
Steamed riceA bowl of plain rice turns a plate of peppers into supper.
Cooked or served together 6
Fried eggplant in dashi brothFry both, then soak them in the broth and serve cool.
Pork stir-fried with misoCook the pork first and add the whole peppers at the very end.
Raw slices in a saladCut them into thin rings and use them where you would use green pepper.
Soy and vinegar pickle, with riceKeep a jar in the fridge and lay a few on a bowl of rice.
Thin pork belly, wrapped round and grilledWrap each pepper in one slice and grill until the fat crisps.
Tiny dried fish, simmered together in soy sauceSpoon it over rice, or eat it cold from the fridge the next day.
Drinks 2
Cold barley teaPour it over ice.
Iced green teaUnsweetened, with plenty of ice.
How it works
What to eat with shishito peppers? Blistered in a pan, they need little more than flaky salt and lemon. These 30 ideas add seasonings, six dips, grilled meat and fish, rice, noodles and two cold teas.
Read the full guide
How shishito peppers are cooked and served
Before cooking, a hole is poked in each pepper so hot air cannot burst it. The peppers are then skewered and grilled, pan-fried in oil or stewed in soy sauce and dashi; some are eaten raw in a salad. About one in ten is spicy. Spain treats its Padrón peppers in a similar way, fried in olive oil and served hot with coarse salt, sometimes with chunks of bread.
A starter or a side
As a starter, put out one seasoning and one dip and let people hold the peppers by the stem. As a side, they suit anything grilled. With rice and one more dish they make a light supper.
Cook the peppers last and have the dip and plates ready, because they are best straight from the pan.
Questions and answers
What to eat with shishito pepper appetizers?
After a plate of peppers, something from the same grill: chicken and scallion skewers, chicken meatballs, sliced steak or miso-marinated black cod. Grilled eel over rice and ginger pork are fuller plates.
What dipping sauce goes with shishito peppers?
Garlic aioli and ponzu, a citrus soy sauce, are the two to start with. Sriracha or wasabi mayonnaise adds heat, and whipped ricotta is milder. A warm anchovy and garlic dip is the richest.
What do you season shishito peppers with?
Beyond salt and lemon, toss them with soy sauce and butter, brush on a miso glaze, or finish with bonito flakes, seven-spice chili powder or Japanese pepper.
Can you make a meal of shishito peppers?
Yes, with rice. Lay them on a rice bowl with a soft egg, simmer them with tiny dried fish in soy sauce, stir-fry them with pork and miso, or serve them beside cold somen noodles.
What do you drink with shishito peppers?
Without alcohol: cold barley tea or unsweetened iced green tea, both over ice.