An aromatic herb-leaf with a complex, distinctive flavour somewhere between basil, mint, and anise — red and green varieties are central to Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian cuisines; the green variety (*shiso*) wraps sashimi and flavours rice; the red variety colours pickled plums and sesame oil in Japanese cooking.
Shiso in Japanese cuisine
Green shiso (aoshiso) is one of the most important herbs in Japanese cooking. Large, flat leaves are placed under sashimi slices as both garnish and palate cleanser — the antibacterial properties of shiso were practically useful in raw fish service. Shiso is also sliced into chiffonade and scattered over cold tofu, soba noodles, and rice dishes. Its flavour — a complex mix of anise, mint, and basil with a slight bitterness — is considered a natural partner for raw fish.
Red shiso for colouring
Red shiso (akajiso) is used primarily as a colouring agent. When mixed with the salt-cured green plums (umeboshi) during pickling, it provides the characteristic bright magenta-red colour and additional flavour. Red shiso juice is used in Japanese drinks and vinegar preparations.
Korean kkaennip
In Korea, perilla leaves (kkaennip) are larger and less frilly than Japanese shiso. They have a slightly more robust flavour. They are used as ssam — wrappers for grilled pork belly (samgyeopsal) and beef (bulgogi), alongside garlic and fermented soybean paste (doenjang). They are also pickled in soy sauce or sesame oil as a side dish (banchan).
Perilla oil
Perilla seeds are pressed to make perilla oil, which is rich in omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid and has a distinctive, nutty-herbal flavour. It is used in Korean and Chinese cooking as a finishing oil and in traditional medicine.
Find more vegetables by letter
Perilla starts with P and ends with A. Browse other vegetables along the same letter.
Vegetables that contain a letter from "Perilla":