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So, I’m curious, how do you all feel about eating out at a restaurant…alone?
And, no, dining onchips and salsa and a margarita at theairport’s Chili’s Too amongst tons of other solo travelers doesn’t count. (Not that, ahem, it’s my tradition to make that happenevery time I flyor anything.) No, I’m talking about full-on just going to a regular restaurant on a regular Tuesday night, grabbing a seat at the bar or a table for one, and enjoying a meal on your own.
Awkward? Empowering? NBD? Noway,Jose?
I’d say that I probably answer “yes” to all of the above. I’ve tried it dining out alone a handful of times. And while occasionally I get lucky and end up sitting at a bar with cool people, or find myself getting totally lost in a good book or (ahem) playing on my phone, thevast majority of the time I would rather have a friend along to eat with…or just grab take-out and eat at home. Some of my friends totally love it. But meh, I’ve made my peace with the fact that there are plenty of other ways I’d like to spend my awkwardness or empowered-ness. ;)
However. While Kathryne was out of town for two days during our stay in Austin last month, I decided to bite the bullet and hit up some restaurants and venues that were left on our bucket list…solo. I could have called up a few friends, but I had a random list of places to hit, so decided to just venture out on my own. And while I’m in no hurry to do it again soon, I have to admit that it was surprisingly fun. I definitely got lucky sitting down at a few places next to some really friendly, coolpeople, which was awesome. And at the one restaurantwhere I was feeling super-introverted, Idecided to whip out my book, which actually had the opposite effect and ended up sparking this long conversation about Donald Miller with the bartender and people around me. The other fun perk of eating out on my own?
I ordered the most scrumptiousbowl of shish*to peppers…anddidn’t have to share.
All. Mine. :)
Actually, I ordered shish*to peppers three different times while we were in Austin. And I swear that they turn me into this guy:
Ok, ok, I work very hard to share when they are served. But if were up to me, I would happily eat an entire batch anytime I’m around them.
Well, of course, the good news is that I no longer have to go out (on my own) to make this happen, becauseguesswhat I spotted at Trader Joe’s last week?
Boom. Shish*to time.
If you are new to the shish*to pepper craze, don’t freak out at their spicy-good-looks. They are actually incredibly mild, sweet, thin little peppers. And once they are blistered and charred,they turn into the most irresistible soft and smoky little treats.
For my first batch, I decided to go the Asian route and toss them with some sesame oil, sesame seeds and a hint of salt and pepper for seasoning. Super simple, but trust me, it’s all you need.
Just saute them in some high-heat-safe oil until they get nice and charred, seasoning them with salt and pepper along the way. (Note: the peppers first turn a light shade of brown, then blacken the longer they sit directly on the heat, which is what you want.) Then once they’re done, toss them in the sesame oil, soy sauce, and sesame seeds.
And literally in just about 5 minutes, these guys will be cooked and wilted andperfect for snacking. Feel free to tinker with the seasonings ifyou’d like. (And if you happen to have some fancy salts at home, this is aperfect time to use them!)
Just BE PREPARED. You may very well want to eat the entire batch. :)
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Prep Time:1 minutes
Cook Time:4 minutes
Total Time:5 minutes
Yield:4 servings 1x
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Description
This Easy Sesame Shish*to Peppers recipe is quick and easy to make, naturally vegan and gluten-free, and absolutely irresistible as an appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil (*or any high-heat cooking oil)
6 ounces shish*to peppers
sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari if making this recipe GF)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Heat a heavy-bottomed saute pan or cast iron pan over high heat for a few minutes until it is hot. Add canola oil and shish*to peppers and season with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Immediately toss to combine. Then saute for 3-4 minutes, tossingevery 45 seconds or so, until the peppersare mostly charred (blistered) on all sides. Remove from heat and transfer the peppers to a serving bowl. Toss with sesame oil and soy sauce (or tamari) until the peppers are evenly coated, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
They're fantastic with my creamy peanut sauce or sesame ginger dressing. In a pinch, plain tamari or soy sauce is a great choice too. Serve them with drinks for a fun summer happy hour, or make them part of a larger meal.
Why are only some shish*tos hot? The reason behind the variance in heat of many chili peppers from pepper to pepper is due to the amount of capsaicin produced during growing. Capsaicin is the part of the pepper that gives them a spicy kick and makes your mouth feel hot.
Leave those ribs and seeds alone! Shish*tos can be eaten whole, so all you have to do is cut off the stem—unless you serve them as finger food, where the stem can act as a nifty handle. Each pepper contains a lot of seeds (more than you might expect), but they're totally edible and don't need to be removed.
High in Nutrients: A diet rich in shish*to peppers can offer you a wealth of vitamins, including vitamin C, which plays a key role in immune health and collagen production. They are also rich in vitamin K1 for improved heart health, blood clotting, and bone health.
Have you ever had shish*to peppers? These little guys are the Japanese cousin to Spain's Padron peppers and are full of high anti-inflammatory properties. I've recently become hooked as they make for great FODMAP snacks or even as a quick appetizer to serve to a crowd.
Shish*to peppers pack a punch with their nutritional content. They're brimming with vitamins and antioxidants, essential for maintaining good health. Each pepper is a mini treasure trove of Vitamin C, contributing to immune defense, and Vitamin A, supporting eye health.
The name, "Shish*to", derives from the Japanese words "shishi", which means "lion", and "togarashi", which translated to "chili pepper". Hence, in Japan, it is known as the "Lion Head pepper".
While most Shish*to Peppers are mildly sweet in flavor, roughly 1 in every 10 will offer a surprise burst of heat. This makes the Shish*to Pepper an alluring product that piques people's curiosity and emboldens their sense of adventure. It is truly a unique product that offers a one-of-a-kind eating experience!
If they become soft, they're most likely past their prime. If they become slimy, or you see mold developing on them, it's time to throw the old ones away, and buy some fresh. Try Instacart for fresh produce same-day delivery, and have shish*to peppers just as you want them delivered to your door.
Younger peppers will have a greenish hue. As they mature, the color transitions to orange, and eventually will turn red. With Shish*to peppers, the color of the pepper has no impact on the spice level. As a rule of thumb, 1 in 10 Shish*to peppers has a kick of heat, no matter if it's green, orange, or yes, even red!
While not necessary, you can soak pepper seeds prior to planting them to encourage faster germination. Place pepper seeds in a bowl or jar of room temperature water for up to 24 hours to soften the seed coat and break dormancy.
Shish*to peppers score a measly 100 to 1,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), while jalapenos boast a more respectable range of 2,500-8,000 SHU. In other words, the spiciest jalapeno can be up to 80 times spicier than the mildest shish*to pepper.
You've seen bell peppers -- green, orange, yellow, and red -- in the grocery store or in a salad bar. Red peppers pack the most nutrition, because they've been on the vine longest.
Cooking shish*to makes the flesh more tender and nuanced in flavor, but you can certainly eat them raw as well. There's no need to remove the seeds or inner membrane since they don't add any extra heat.
Shish*to peppers will last up to two weeks (maybe longer) when kept dry and stored in the fridge. They're still good as long as they're firm and not mushy. Ripe shish*tos are bright green, but if you find a red or orange pepper in the bag, it's perfectly normal and fine to eat.
Cooking shish*to makes the flesh more tender and nuanced in flavor, but you can certainly eat them raw as well. There's no need to remove the seeds or inner membrane since they don't add any extra heat.
Keep shish*to peppers in a paper or plastic bag in the warmest area of the refrigerator. If purchased when fresh, they can last in your crisper drawer for up to 2 weeks. Have some fresh leftover shish*tos? Freeze them whole, and save for a little bit of summer during colder months.
Shish*to peppers are small green peppers from Japan. They are slightly mild and sweet tasting, but occasionally you will bite into one with some heat. I buy mine from Trader Joes or Whole Foods, but you may be able to find them in your local grocery store.
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Introduction: My name is Manual Maggio, I am a thankful, tender, adventurous, delightful, fantastic, proud, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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