Stir-fried green chili peppers

Today’s recipe is gochu-bokkeum (stir-fried shishito peppers), a super fast and easy-to-make side dish that can be ready in just 6 minutes!

These wrinkly and thin-walled peppers are mild and crispy, making them a great option for those who don’t like spicy food. Of course you can make this dish with regular spicy green chili peppers, too. You can grill, steam (see my recipe for kkwarigochu-jjim), or stir-fry shishito peppers.

The cooked peppers have a savory, salty flavor with a hint of sweetness and a slightly sticky texture from the flour-coated peppers. In addition, I made this recipe sugar-free, which is perfect for those of us who are trying to reduce our sugar intake. However, the natural sweetness of the onion bits still gives the dish a touch of sweetness.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces stemmed mild shishito peppers (kkwari-gochu), washed and drained
• 1 tablespoon flour (wheat flour or rice flour)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 ounces onion, chopped (½ cup)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Cut the damp, freshly washed peppers in half if they are too long. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add the flour and shake in the bowl to coat.
3. Heat the cooking oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the peppers. Cook for about 2 minutes without stirring, until the bottom of the peppers are lightly browned.

5. Flip the peppers over and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to cook evenly.

6. Add the onion and garlic and stir together for 1 minute.

7. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the soy sauce.

8. Cook for about 1 minute until the peppers are cooked through and the onion is coated in the soy sauce.
9. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.

10. Transfer to a bowl or plate and sprinkle sesame seeds over top.
11. Serve as a side dish for rice. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

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