Korean Seasoned Shishito Pepper Banchan

Rinse 200 g of shishito peppers under cold running water, scrubbing gently to remove any dirt from the ridged surface, then pinch off each stem close to the shoulder so the peppers are roughly even in length.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, drop in the peppers, and blanch for exactly forty seconds by timer.

Lift out immediately and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking and keep the bright green color.

Drain in a colander, then squeeze the peppers firmly by hand to remove excess moisture, as leftover water will thin the doenjang dressing. Halve lengthwise any pepper at least six centimeters long.

In a small bowl, combine one tablespoon of doenjang, one teaspoon each of gochugaru, soup soy sauce, and sesame oil, plus half a teaspoon of minced garlic. Stir until the doenjang dissolves with no lumps remaining.

Add the drained peppers to the seasoning bowl and fold them in with a light turning motion using a spoon or your hand.

Avoid squeezing or kneading, as pressing too hard will burst the skins and lose the crisp texture.

Lightly crush one teaspoon of sesame seeds between your fingers to release their aroma and scatter evenly over the peppers.

Serve within thirty minutes to keep the crisp texture at its best.