Ordering shishito peppers at restaurants is one of our go-to appetizers. They are healthy and adapt to almost any flavor profile. One of our favorite reasons to eat them is we have a little bit of fun with the Russian Roulette game of “who is going to eat the crazy hot pepper?” For those unfamiliar, shishito peppers derive from Asia. They are about finger width and length and every one in eight peppers is spicy.

We have been so excited to see shishitos popping up at grocery stores. We have found them at Trader Joes and our regular grocery store, King Soopers. We have made a super simple preparation and have included our homemade spicy chili oil. These make a perfect snack or appetizer if you aren’t afraid of a little heat!

Spicy Shishito Peppers

Makes: 4 appetizer servings

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of shishito peppers (about 30 peppers)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 inches ginger, chopped
• 4 tbs chili oil

Directions:

1. Add the chili oil, garlic and ginger to a pan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and ginger for 2-3 minutes. You want it to cook, but not get brown.
2. Add the shishito peppers to the pan and sauté for 10 minutes. It is ok if the shishito peppers start to brown. Keep stirring them throughout the cooking process so that they cook evenly on all sides. Serve hot and top with a little bit of salt.