Shishito Peppers

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The shishito is considered by many to be a Japanese heirloom, but it’s likely that it came to east Asia via Spain because it’s very similar to the Padron pepper. The Patron itself probably came to Spain in the 16th century from South America.
The mix of growing the Padrón in Japanese soil, along with selecting the mildest peppers in the lot for propagation, likely converted the taste and eliminated the heat of the shishito we have today.
But it’s still a “Russian roulette” variety. Roughly one out of every ten shishitos peppers will rev up the spiciness just a little. They don’t reach even mild jalapeño heat, but it’s enough to catch you by surprise.
Shishito peppers are flavorful sweeter chilies: grassy and citrusy with a slight hint of smokiness. With their thin walls, they are growing fast in popularity as grilling peppers. Char-grilling or frying with a little olive oil and sea salt produces a very tasty appetizer.
Their sweetness also makes them an excellent chili for stir-fry, and they also work quite well as a tempura vegetable.
Blistered shishitos is the recipe this chili is most known for, which involves char-grilling the peppers to give them a smoky, earthy flavor. Many restaurants offer this dish as a side, as well.
–From PepperScale