Garlic Sesame Pan-Fried Shishito Peppers

Ingredients

10 oz package of raw shishito peppers
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves minced
salt & pepper
toasted sesame seeds

Method

Heat a cast-iron skillet to med-high heat. Add both types of oil to the pan and when pan is hot, add the shishito peppers. Stir them around so they all have some oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Once you see that they are starting to blister, move them around frequently so they don't burn.
Once the majority of the peppers have blistered, reduce the heat to medium and add the red pepper flakes and garlic to the pan. The pan will be really hot, so keep stirring everything around so the garlic does not burn. When the garlic has softened and has cooked, they are done. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the peppers and eat immediately, or store in the fridge for a couple days. Enjoy!

Although 99% of shishito peppers are totally mild, some say that there is the rare one in a hundred that turns out really hot. I haven’t gotten a spicy one…yet!
Regular sesame seeds don’t have the amazing nutty flavor and slight crispness that toasted sesame seeds have. Make sure you’re using toasted sesame seeds for this recipe.