Shishito chile peppers have a citrusy, sweet heat, and slightly smoky flavor enhanced by grilling or sautéing. Easy to grow and a highly productive, early producer of many 3-4" slender wrinkled pods. Compact and perfect for container growing.
Although usually very mild in heat, a shishito appetizer can be the life of the party! One out of every 10-20 peppers will shockingly surprise you with incredible heat. . For a delicious treat, sauté these in olive oil until they begin to blister, sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!
Very popular in Japan and is becoming quite the popular pepper in the U.S. Shishito Peppers are also known as the Lion pepper, or referred to as the "Wrinkled Old Man" pepper. Shishitos will mature from green to red, with a sweeter taste when it ripens to red. 50–200 Scoville heat units (mild).
• Scroll down for detailed growing info •
All Nimble NiteCap Seeds are:
• Heirloom
• Organic
• Non-GMO
• Open Pollinated
• Untreated
• US Grown
• growing instructions included
• Regular testing is conducted to uphold the highest germination standards, all the while employing appropriate seed storage techniques.
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• NimbleNitecap seeds are packed in eco-friendly, compostable seed packets. Seed packets are printed in house with vegetable-based inks on biodegradable, recycled materials. (Small plastic bags are infrequently used to prevent the loss of very small seeds.)
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• DIRECTIONS •
Days to Maturity:
60–75 days from transplanting
Hardiness:
Frost-sensitive perennial grown as an annual
Exposure:
Full sun
Plant Dimensions:
12 to 18 inches tall and wide
Variety Info:
2"–4" long, thin, medium green, slightly wrinkled, some curved. Flavor is citrusy and slightly smoky. About 90 percent of shishitos will be mild, but the others will be slightly hot. Scoville heat units for 'Shishito' are 50–200, making the occasional hot pepper quite mild.
Attributes:
Frost Sensitive, Good for Containers
Days to Emerge:
10–25 days
Seed Depth:
¼"
Seed Spacing:
Start indoors
Row Spacing:
24"–36"
Thinning:
Start indoors, plant seedlings 18"–24" apart outside
When to Sow Outside:
For Mild Climates only: 2 to 4 weeks after average last frost, when soil temperature is at least 70°F.
When to Start Inside:
RECOMMENDED. 8 to 10 weeks before transplanting. Ideal soil temperature for germination is 70°–90°F.
Transplant seedlings outside 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date, and when daytime temperatures are at least 70°F, and nighttime temperatures are at least 55°F.
Mild Climates:
May be sown in late summer for fall/winter crop.
Harvesting:
Generally harvested when green, at 2"–4" long, but can also be left on the plant to mature to red.
When harvesting, take care to avoid touching the interior of any broken peppers, as the capsaicin is an extreme irritant, especially to the eyes. Wash hands thoroughly after harvesting or wear gloves to harvest peppers.
Recipe:
Shishito Peppers with Soy Ginger Sauce
2 tsp sesame oil, divided
1 lb shishito peppers
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
OPTIONAL TOPPING
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
• Add 1 tsp sesame oil to a large skillet or wok on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the shishito peppers and sauté for 10 minutes.
• Whisk the remaining 1 tsp sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, lime juice and ginger together in a small bowl to form the sauce.
• After the shishitos have sautéed for 10 minutes, pour the sauce over the shishito peppers.
• Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook for 7-10 minutes or until peppers are tender and blistering on the outside.
OPTIONAL TOASTED PANKO TOPPING
• Add panko breadcrumbs to a small skillet over medium-high heat. Allow to toast in the skillet for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the shishito peppers and serve.
