Shishito Recipe

Prep

Wash and thoroughly dry the shishito peppers. Trim any long stems if desired, leaving most of the stem intact so peppers are easy to pick up.

Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot, about 3–4 minutes. Add the neutral oil and swirl to coat.

Add the shishito peppers in a single layer (they may overlap slightly). Cook, without stirring continuously, letting them char and blister for 2–3 minutes. Toss or shake the pan and continue to cook another 3–4 minutes until most peppers are blistered and slightly blackened in spots, turning occasionally for even charring.

Transfer the peppers to a plate lined with paper towel. Immediately sprinkle with the coarse kosher salt and set aside while you finish the sauces, so they remain crisp.

Make Tomato Purée

Core and roughly chop the fresh tomato. Place tomato in a blender or food processor with 2 tablespoons water and blitz until smooth. If you prefer a very smooth sauce, strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds and skins (press with a spoon). You should have about 3/4–1 cup purée.

In a small bowl or jar, combine the tomato purée, soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, rice vinegar, mirin, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt. Stir or whisk until sugar and salt are dissolved. Taste and adjust: more lemon for brightness, more soy for saltiness, or a touch more sugar if too tart.

If using bonito flakes, add them to the mixture and let steep for 5–10 minutes, then strain the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the flakes for a clean ponzu with extra umami.

Chill the tomato ponzu for 10–15 minutes if time allows so flavors marry; it can also be served at room temperature.

Toast the white and black sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Combine the toasted sesame seeds with flaky salt in a mortar and pestle and gently grind to a coarse, even texture. Alternatively, pulse briefly in a small food processor. The mixture should be grainy, not powdered. Set aside.

Cut the lime in half crosswise. Heat a dry skillet over high heat until smoking slightly. Place the cut lime halves cut-side down directly on the skillet and char for 1–2 minutes until edges caramelize and develop char marks. Remove from heat.

To serve: transfer blistered shishitos to a serving plate. Drizzle 1–2 tablespoons of tomato ponzu over the peppers (or serve ponzu on the side for dipping). Sprinkle sesame salt evenly over the peppers. Finish with a light drizzle (about 1 tsp) of toasted sesame oil if using, and scatter microgreens or cilantro if desired. Serve with charred lime on the side to squeeze over the peppers for bright acidity.

Note: For heat seekers — approximately 1 in 10 shishitos will be spicy; warn guests accordingly and keep extra ponzu for cooling bites.