Shiso (Green and Red Perilla) (2024)

Shiso is an aromatic herb commonly used in Japanese dishes such as sushi, salads, tempura, noodles, etc. It has a unique fragrance and flavor loved by the Japanese.

Shiso (しそ, 紫蘇) is the most popular culinary herb used in Japanese cuisine and is considered one of its seven main flavorings. It’s known as perilla leaf, beefsteak plant, Japanese mint, or Ooba (大葉) in Japanese. This perennial herb is also widely used in Korean and Southeast Asian cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine.

What is Shiso

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.

Fun fact: Have you seen strips of fake green plastic grass used to separate items in sushi trays or bento boxes? These fake grasses are meant to replicate the leaves! Traditionally, it’s used to separate different food items on a platter to keep the flavors fresh and from mixing. The antibacterial properties can help slow raw fish and seafood spoilage.

What Does Shiso Taste Like

It’s vibrant, herbaceous, and citrusy with a mildly astringent taste and bitter finish. Some also note that it has hints of mint, basil, cloves, licorice, and cinnamon.

Varieties

There are different varieties, but you can broadly categorize them into two main types: green-leafed and red-leafed.

Green Shiso (Aojiso)

Green shiso leaves are more common by far and are used all year round in Japanese cooking, just like you would with basil and mint in Western cooking.

Red Shiso (Akajiso)

Red shiso leaves are primarily used in coloring foods such as umeboshi (pickled plums), pickled ginger (beni shoga), and this Kyoto-style vegetable pickle.

In the summer, the Japanese enjoy making a refreshing beverage called aka shiso juice(red perilla juice) using red shiso leaves. It stimulates your appetite on hot days and helps you recover from exhaustion and digestion.

Interested in making aka shiso juice? Find my recipe here.

Health Benefits

In addition to its culinary uses, it has been widely used in Japan and other Asian cultures as traditional medicine. It provides several essential nutrients, such as:

• Antioxidants and vitamins:Shiso contains high levels of antioxidants and various vitamins such as C, A, and K. The leaves are often added to hot water to make a flavorful tea that helps to strengthen the immune system and lower the risk of certain cancers.
• Flavonoids: Red shiso is rich in flavonoids, which help regulate cellular activity and fight off free radicals. We often use it as a go-to remedy for skin health.
• Antibacterial properties: Shiso is most commonly used to help treat indigestion, morning sickness, and other gastrointestinal conditions.

Where To Buy

Japanese grocery stores usually carry green shiso leaves all year round in their produce section, but you may not find them at Asian grocery stores. You may want to check your local farmers’ markets.

Red shiso leaves, however, are only available in the summer months, typically from the end of June to early July. Call the local Japanese grocery store ahead of time to see if they carry them.

Substitute

There is nothing like the taste and texture of shiso. Unfortunately, this Japanese herb is hard to find outside Japanese grocery stores, but you can grow it in a garden pot!

Difference Between Shiso and Korean Perilla

It’s also used in Korean cuisine. However, Japanese shiso has different characteristics and culinary uses, so it’s not advised to substitute.

Korean perilla or Kkaennip 깻잎 (Perilla frutescens var. crispa) have more giant, thick-textured leaves with a more intense, peppery, and earthy flavor. It’s used to wrap grilled meats in Korean barbecue and stir-fried for side dishes, made into kimchi, and the seed oil is used in cooking and flavoring.

Grow Your Own

The great news is that it’s an incredibly easy herb to grow in your garden! It is also good for container growing and suitable for apartment or small-space gardening. I received my seeds from Bobby, a local JOC reader, and have been growing shiso for several years.

Perilla seeds are tough, so they must be softened in water overnight before sowing. Transplant the seedlings out to the garden when the nighttime temperatures are warmer than 45°F (7°C) and all possible danger of frost has passed. If your spring is relatively cool, you may need to plant the seeds indoors for 4-6 weeks in mid-spring.

Covering the seeds with too much soil will delay germination, so plant the seeds 1/4 inch (6 mm) below the surface and water daily. The ideal temperature for shiso to grow is above 68ºF (20ºC), so find the right timing for your climate.

The shiso seeds I planted in May sprouted two weeks later and grew well. I continue to harvest leaves as soon as they are a good size (3-4 inches long), and they produce more new leaves!

You can buy the shiso seeds from this company online.

Regarding Wild Perilla and Potential Danger To Livestock

While perilla has many delicious benefits and culinary uses, wild perilla (shiso and Korean perilla) is potentially dangerous foraging livestock such as cattle, horses, and sheep. The entire plant is toxic when ingested, and it causes inflammation and fluid in the lungs. If you’re growing the perilla plant in your garden, please be mindful if you live near a livestock ranch, as birds can eat and carry the seeds miles from the source.

Sources: Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Japanese National Institute of Animal Health

Storage

The best way to store fresh leaves is to cover them with a damp cloth or paper towel and put them in an airtight container or plastic bag. Place it in the refrigerator in the crisper drawer. I recommend using them as soon as possible.

How to Use

I consider shiso my all-around herb, as there are many different ways to use shiso in cooking. Like most leafy herbs, you can use it raw, the leaves whole, or chiffonade. Here are some ideas:

1. As a garnish or topping to bring a touch of freshness, aroma, color, and character to your dishes.
2. Deep fry whole shiso leaves until airy and crispy as part of your vegetable tempura platter.
3. Make a pesto. This is the best way to use up your overgrown garden shiso herb.
4. A great addition to summer rolls or inari sushi.
5. Pair with fatty fish like salmon, yellowtail, andtuna or ikura (salmon roe). They bring a refreshing taste to sashimi bowl!
6. Mix into salads like this or this.
7. Add into your dipping sauce.
8. Add to your mixed rice (mazegohan) or onigiri rice balls.
9. Drinks and desserts – Use shiso leaves in recipes that call for mint, like mojitos, co*cktails, ice cream and sorbets, jellies, simple syrup, granita, etc.
10. As a seasoning – Dried and ground shiso can be used as a seasoning and sprinkled on rice and noodle dishes.

Delicious Recipes

1. Shiso Pesto

My absolute favorite way to utilize a bounty of fresh shiso leaves. All you need is to combine shiso with pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan or Romano cheese, and extra virgin olive oil and run it through your food processor. So delicious with pasta, grilled fish or meat, or a sandwich.

2. Shiso Pesto Pasta

With the homemade shiso pesto, you can rustle up this fuss-free pasta dish anytime.

3. Ume Shiso Pasta

Another weeknight recipe where simple ingredients bring out the best of a dish.

4. Inari Sushi

Decorate the top of your inari sushi with shiso leaves and ikura to add a special touch.

5. Ume Shiso Rice

With pickled plums (umeboshi), fragrant shiso leaves, and nutty sesame seeds mixed into steamed rice, this beautiful rice dish is big on flavors. Pair it with a few sides to make a full spread of Japanese meal.

6. Salmon Sashimi Bowl

Adding shiso helps cut the fattiness off the salmon sashimi and makes each bite more enjoyable.

7. Ginger Pork Rolls with Eggplants

Thinly julienned shiso leaves—when used as a garnish on pan-fried food like this ginger pork rolls—add so much more zing to the dish. It also brings more color and attractiveness to the otherwise brown-looking dish.

8. Tsukune (Chicken Meatball Skewers)

I love adding chiffonaded shiso leaves to the meatballs to create a delicious contrasting flavor!

Do you have shiso growing in your garden? What are some of your favorite ways to use the herb? Please share them with us in the comment section below!

Learn More About Unique Japanese Herbs and Spices

The Japanese use herbs and spices to elevate their cooking. Learn about the different herbs and spices and how to incorporate them into your dish! Read the article here.

Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking?Sign up for ourfreenewsletterto receive cooking tips & recipeupdates! Andstay in touch with me onFacebook,Pinterest,YouTube, andInstagram.