What can I do with shiso シソ and perilla / 紫苏zǐ sū / 깻잎 kkaennip?

We grow a variety of Asian herbs on our farm, and we are always looking for new ways to cook with them. Here are some ideas for foods you can make with the shiso and perilla in your CSA box!

Japanese Green Shiso (青じそ, 大葉)

Green shiso is an herb in the mint family. In Japan, it is widely used as a garnish for a variety of dishes, including:

Sushi and sashimi

Chilled noodles like hiyamugi and somen
Fresh summer salads (add our other Japanese veggies like shunjiku or mizuna! See mizuna, myoga, and shiso salad)
Hiyayakko (cold silken tofu with toppings)
Shiso pesto (simply replace basil with shiso!)

There are also options to cook with shiso! Shiso is often found as an ingredient in vegetable tempura. Some people also like to add shiso to meat dishes with a simple sauce usually consisting of soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and ginger.

Japanese Red Shiso (赤じそ)

While Japanese green shiso is commonly eaten fresh, red shiso tends to be more bitter, so it is often processed into drinks, pickles and other foods:

Umeboshi is a popular Japanese pickle made from ume plums and red shiso. It is frequently used in onigiri (rice balls) and bento boxes.
Shibazuke is another popular Japanese pickle made with eggplant, Japanese cucumber, myoga ginger, and red shiso. It is often served with rice.
Furikake is a dried Japanese condiment often used as a topping for rice. There are many different types of furikake, and one of my favorites includes red shiso. You can make your own simple red shiso furikake with dried red shiso, salt, and sugar (see yukari).
Red shiso juice is an easy and refreshing summer drink!
Umeshu is a Japanese plum wine that can be made at home. Adding red shiso to the umeshu can take it to the next level! Here is a simpler recipe.

Korean Perilla/Kkaenip (깻잎)

Korean perilla is also found in the mint family. It is also commonly referred to as “sesame leaf” (although it doesn’t come from a sesame plant!). The herb is similar to Japanese shiso, but its flavor is more mild and may be eaten in larger quantities. It can be used in a variety of dishes, including:

Ssam, or wrap, using perilla and filled with meat (see pork belly bbq).
Jangajji, like pickled side dish with soy sauce, or quick-pickled kkaenip kimchi
Soups, such as gamjatang (pork bone soup). In Korea, perilla seeds are also commonly used in soups (see toran-guk).

Vietnamese perilla (Tía Tô)

Vietnamese perilla, also known as tía tô, is found in the mint family. The variety of Vietnamese perilla we grow can look similar to our Korean perilla. However, our Vietnamese perilla leaves have a darker purple color on the bottom compared to our Korean perilla leaves. Vietnamese perilla can be added as a fresh garnish to a variety of dishes, including: