is a sometimes hot
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
n pepper variety of the species ''
Capsicum annuum
''Capsicum annuum'' is a species of the plant genus ''Capsicum'' native to southern North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. This species is the most common and extensively cultivated of the five domesticated capsicums. The spe ...
''.
[, abstract quote: " 'Shishito' (Capsicum annuum L.) is a group of sweet pepper cultivars. Fruits are small, green and non-pungent, but pungent fruits sometimes occur.."]
Characteristics
The pepper is small and finger-long, slender, and thin-walled. Although it turns from green to red upon ripening, it is usually harvested while green. The name refers to the fact that the tip of the looks like the head; in
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
it is often abbreviated as ''shishitō''.
About one out of every ten to twenty peppers is spicy. The occurrence of pungent fruit is induced by such factors as exposure to sunlight,
[ and other environmental stresses.
The prefectural agricultural testing center at ]Kishigawa, Wakayama was a town located in Naga District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.
As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 21,158 and a density
Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the substance's mass per unit of volume. The sy ...
stated in 2005 that capsaicin
Capsaicin (8-methyl-''N''-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) ( or ) is an active component of chili peppers, which are plants belonging to the genus '' Capsicum''. It is a chemical irritant for mammals, including humans, and produces a sensation of burni ...
forms more easily in hot and dry conditions in the summer, and even experts may not be able to distinguish relative hotness on the same plant.[, also posted by blo]
新建設 まめ知識:Q.辛くないシシトウの見分け方はありますか？
(retrieved April 2012)
For cooking, a hole is poked in the pepper beforehand to keep expanding hot air from bursting the pepper. It may be skewered then broiled (grilled), or pan-fried in oil, stewed in a soy sauce
Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or '' Asp ...
– and dashi
is a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine. ''Dashi'' forms the base for miso soup, clear broth soup, noodle broth soup, and many simmering liquids to accentuate the savory flavor known as umami. ''Dashi'' is also mixed into the flour ba ...
-based liquid, or simply eaten raw in a salad or as a condiment. It is thin-skinned and will blister and char easily compared with thicker-skinned varieties of peppers.
Gallery
Shishito Peppers.jpg, Grilled shishito peppers
File:Kkwari-gochu-myeolchi-bokkeum.jpg, ''Kkwari-gochu- myeolchi-bokkeum
''Bokkeum'' () is a category of stir-fried dishes in Korean cuisine.
Etymology
''Bokkeum'' () is a verbal noun derived from the Korean verb ''bokkda'' (), meaning "to cook food or food ingredients with little or a small amount of liquid by ...
'' (stir-fried groundcherry peppers and anchovies)
File:Kkwarigochujangajji (pickled kkwari pepper).jpg, ''Kkwari-gochu-jangajji
''Jangajji'' () or pickled vegetables is a type of ''banchan'' (side dish) made by pickling vegetables.
* Unlike kimchi, ''jangajji'' is non-fermented vegetables, usually pickled in soy sauce, soybean paste, or chili paste. ''Jangajji'' dishe ...
'' (pickled groundcherry peppers)
File:Homegrown shishito peppers.jpg, Shishito peppers shortly after being picked.
See also
* Shichimi
, also known as or simply ''shichimi'', is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients. Tōgarashi is the Japanese name for ''Capsicum annuum'', a red pepper native to Central and South America, and it is this ingredient that ...
, chili pepper in Japan
*
* Padrón peppers, a similarly used pepper in Spain
References
{{Capsicum Cultivars
Chili peppers
Fruit vegetables
Japanese vegetables
Capsicum cultivars
Korean vegetables