




Fushimi Chile Peppers
Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Fushimi chile peppers are elongated and slender pods, averaging 14 to 16 centimeters in length and 1 to 2 centimeters in diameter, and have a conical shape that gradually tapers to a rounded point on the non-stem end. The pods can be straight to slightly curved, and the skin is waxy, semi-smooth, and pale green, ripening to a bright red when mature with faint wrinkles. Underneath the skin, the flesh is thin, crisp, and pale green, encasing a central cavity filled with membranes and a few round, flat, cream-colored seeds. Fushimi chile peppers are sweet and fruity, and depending on the variety, they can carry a medium to hot level of spice.
Seasons/Availability
Fushimi chile peppers are available in the summer through early fall.
Current Facts
Fushimi chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annum, are an heirloom Japanese sweet pepper variety that belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. A traditional vegetable of Kyoto, Japan, Fushimi chile peppers are an early harvest variety that is considered to be a true frying pepper. There are multiple types of Fushimi chile peppers, including sweet peppers known as Fushimiama and Amanagato, and moderately hot peppers known as Fushimikara. In Japan, Fushimi chile peppers are used similarly to shishito peppers and are valued for their sweet flavor and crunchy texture, commonly pickled, stir-fried, or sautéed in everyday culinary applications.
Nutritional Value
Fushimi chile peppers contain some vitamins C, B6, and K, potassium, folate, and copper.
Applications
Fushimi chile peppers are best suited for both raw and cooked preparations such as roasting, frying, sautéing, and stir-frying. Similar to the shishito pepper, Fushimi chile peppers are often prepared blistered in oil, seasoned with sea salt, and served as finger food. Once blistered, the peppers can also be diced and served atop sushi, omelets, rice, stir-fries, and salads. In addition to blistering, Fushimi chile peppers are popularly battered and fried tempura-style or commonly skewered and grilled over an open fire. Fushimi chile peppers can also be pickled and preserved for extended use. Fushimi chile peppers pair well with garlic, soy sauce, chorizo, grilled fish, shellfish, eggs, tofu, citruses such as lemon, lime, and yuzu, miso, yams, asparagus, eggplant, tomatoes, and lentils. The fresh peppers will keep 1-2 weeks when loosely stored whole and unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Fushimi chile peppers, also known as Fushimi Togarashi, are regarded as a traditional vegetable or "Kyo-yasai" in Kyoto, Japan. There are forty-one vegetables that have been given the Kyo-yasai label, and these items are highly valued in Kyoto for their flavor, appearance, and nutrition. Cultivated for hundreds of years in Kyoto, Kyo-yasai vegetables are believed to have slightly sweeter, pure flavors and are popular for vegetarian dishes to showcase the artistic nature of vegetable cooking in Japan.
Geography/History
Sweet peppers were first introduced to Japan by Portuguese traders as a seasoning, vegetable, and ornamental plant sometime during the 16th century. By the 20th century, peppers were cultivated extensively in Japan with a fondness for the sweeter varieties such as a bell, shishito, and Fushimi. While the exact origins of Fushimi chile peppers are unknown, the pepper has been grown in the Fushimi region of Kyoto since the Edo period. Today Fushimi chile peppers are grown predominately in the Gifu prefecture as well as in Kyoto’s Tanba region.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Fushimi Chile Peppers. One

Soil Born Farms |
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Blistered Fushimi Peppers |
Living Shalom |
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Stir-Fry: Okra, Peppers, & Tempeh |
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