Micro Purple Shiso, x 1 Punnet (2024)

FAQs

What is purple shiso used for? ›

Shiso is common in sushi restaurants, though it also makes appearances in Japanese soups and noodle dishes. It's sometimes battered and fried as tempura or used as an ingredient in maki, though it's most commonly associated with Japanese salt-pickled plums (umeboshi).

The leaves come in either a delicate purple or green colour. The edible leaves are earthy and spicy with herbal and sweet flavours. The flavours and aromas of the leaf are reminiscent of basil and mint with a mildly spicy aftertaste.

Micro Red shiso is the tiny, young, edible version of the mature green and is typically harvested 14-25 days after sowing. Microgreens are a relatively new, trendy green seen in upscale restaurants since the 1980s-1990s.

Shiso is extremely versatile.

Raw leaves are delicious tossed into salads or used wherever you might add savory green herbs. Or you can cook them up like tender spinach — steamed, sautéed or tempura-fried.

Since shiso naturally repels insects as it a part of the mint family, it does not attract any and will not cause harm to other plants near it in this regard. However, shiso may be apt to get Downey mildew. For this reason, it is important to ensure that it has ample space in the garden and is not overwatered.

In a frost-free climate (Zone 10-11), shiso is a perennial that comes back every year. Everywhere else, it is grown as an annual. Although you can theoretically bring a potted shiso indoors for the winter, most gardeners start new plants from seed in the spring, which is easy.

The herb's anti-inflammatory characteristics are used to treat everything from asthma, arthritis, and eczema. It has also been used as a herbal treatment in Japan for generations. Shiso leaves are a fantastic, healthful addition to salads, soups, and stews since they are rich in calcium and iron.

Q: Is shiso an invasive plant? A: Like other mints, shiso grows quickly and will easily self-seed. It's considered invasive in some parts of the United States where people have allowed it to grow freely. However, you can easily control it in a garden.

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Shiso is quite diverse and can be used in a number of ways. Most notably, the reddish-purple shiso leaves are used to make umeboshi, a popular plum snack also used in Japanese cuisine. Green shiso's minty, lemony qualities are often used to mellow out heavy rich flavors.

Is shiso hard to grow? ›

The plant prefers full sun but isn't finicky about soil. Shiso readily self-seeds, and in temperate climates with mild winters, the plant can become a problematic weed that invades natural areas. Therefore, it's a good practice to remove all the flowers as they form as a precaution against its unintended spread.

Cultivated shiso is eaten in many East and Southeast Asian countries. Wild, weedy shiso are not suitable for eating, as they do not have the characteristic shiso fragrance, and are high in perilla ketone, which is potentially toxic.

Shelf Life:

Up to five days fresh. Shiso leaves pair very well with soy based sauces and dressings. In Japan they are a traditional accompaniment to raw fish (particularly sashimi), used in salads, or fried as tempura. Shiso leaves can also be pickled (how to quick pickle).

Turns out shiso is a cousin of mint but spreads via seeds while mint runs along its stems and sets roots.

Shiso, green or purple, is an herb similar in flavor to basil, mint, and anise. It adds a bright freshness to pretty much anything—pizza, rice bowls, eggs, you name it!

Perilla Edible Uses

The leaves have a very pleasant sweet taste and are used as a spice, cooked as potherbs or fried, and combined with fish, rice, vegetables and soups. It is also chopped and combined with ginger root, then added to stir-fries, tempuras and salads in many Asian countries.

Shiso is a member of the mint family. With its large, jagged leaves, bright color, and refreshing flavor, it can be eaten fresh, pickled, or deep-fried, and it frequently makes appearances in sushi dishes and sashimi plates. While the green leaves are suited for eating, the red leaves are used in pickling.