Romain Blanquart / Detroit Free PressThough blistered shishito peppers are a trendy menu item, they work beautifully dredged in tempura batter and fried or paired with cauliflower in a Catalan-style preparation.

Q: I planted shishito pepper plants in my garden this year. What are some ways to prepare/cook them? — Denise Krupa, Sterling Heights, Michigan.

A: Shishito peppers are a mostly mild chili pepper native to Japan, where they are a popular snack food. But, sources say, about one in 10 of these light green peppers will have some heat to them. And that heat will pack a good punch — the kind of punch a raw jalapeno or serrano pepper would.

Shishito peppers average about 3 to 4 inches long; some are longer. The peppers are about 1/2- to 1-inch in diameter, and their outer skin has small ridges.

Trader Joe’s sells 6-ounce bags (with about 20 peppers) for about $3. Once farmers markets are in full swing, you also might find the peppers there.

Shishitos are also a trendy menu item. You might see them served as an appetizer because they are a great finger food.

Shishito peppers are easy to work with and take to all forms of cooking: grilling, sauteing, deep-frying and using in stir fries. To easily grill shishito peppers, skewer a dozen on two wooden or metal skewers and place over medium-hot heat. Using two skewers makes it easier to turn the peppers so they char on all sides. Shishito peppers also can be roasted in the oven, or you can eat them raw. When eaten raw, their flavor has a hint of sweetness, and their texture is crisp, like that of a green pepper.

Shishito peppers also take to many flavors, from Asian- to Spanish-style ingredients or simply sauteed in butter and sprinkled with bread crumbs and grated cheese.

One of the more common ways to prepare shishitos is to blister them in a skillet in a small amount of oil. But it’s best to poke them a few times with a fork to let the steam inside them vent. Otherwise, shishito peppers have a tendency to split and then spit the hot oil.

To prepare them this way, heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large skillet. Rinse and pat the peppers dry and poke them a few times. When the oil is hot, add the peppers to the skillet and let them cook for a few minutes so the skin chars on the side.

Start shaking the skillet to continue charring the peppers all over. The peppers will not completely char on all sides. Once charred, remove them to a platter and give them a generous sprinkling of coarse sea salt or sesame seeds. You also can serve them with a dipping sauce.

Today’s recipes pair shishito peppers with roasted cauliflower and an almond pestolike sauce. It’s a perfect side dish.

We also tempura-battered the peppers and served them with a spicy dipping sauce. Staff taste testers swooned over both recipes and loved the simple blistered peppers for snacking.