Grilled Shishito Peppers with Miso Dipping Sauce

Instructions

1. Prepare the peppers
   Rinse the shishito peppers under cold water and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels. Any moisture will cause oil to splatter during cooking. Trim the stems if they're very long, but leave a small handle for easy eating.
2. Make the miso dipping sauce
   In a small bowl, whisk together the white miso paste, rice vinegar, mirin, grated ginger, minced garlic, and honey until smooth and well combined. Set aside to allow flavors to meld while you cook the peppers.
3. Heat the pan
   Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the neutral oil and allow it to heat until shimmering but not smoking.
4. Blister the peppers
   Add the shishito peppers to the hot pan in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd (work in batches if necessary). Cook undisturbed for 1-2 minutes until the bottom side develops charred blisters, then toss or turn with tongs and continue cooking, turning occasionally, until peppers are blistered on all sides but still bright green, about 3-4 minutes total.
5. Season and finish
   Remove the pan from heat and drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the peppers. Toss to coat evenly. Immediately transfer the peppers to a serving plate and sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt and toasted sesame seeds while still hot.
6. Serve
   Transfer the miso dipping sauce to a small serving bowl. Garnish the peppers with sliced scallions and serve immediately with the miso dipping sauce on the side. Eat the peppers by holding the stem and biting off the pepper, discarding the stem.