In traditional Japanese cuisine, it’s quite common to have several small bowls with side dishes or accompaniments on the table alongside the main course. One of these is marinated shiso.
What is shiso (perilla)?
In Japanese, it’s called shiso, and we know it as perilla. In Asia, particularly in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, it is a well-known and commonly used herb. You could say that in Japan, it’s the number one herb. Although, in Japan, they might not even call it a herb but rather a vegetable.
It’s used in both cold and hot dishes. It can be combined with meat, fish, or sushi, and is added to salads or soups. Red shiso is pickled in ume vinegar (umeboshi = Japanese plums), then dried and used as a topping for rice, or the whole leaves are fried as tempura. You can even make juice from it. Its uses are truly wide-ranging.
How to marinate shiso (perilla)?
There are two basic types of shiso – green and red. Green shiso is more commonly used for direct consumption. Perilla can easily be grown, and it can be done in a pot as well.
Shiso is marinated in soy sauce, so it’s fairly salty and pairs best as a side dish with rice. I once heard someone refer to it as a “rice thief” because you can’t stop at just one bite—you keep eating more and more until there’s no rice left 😀
How long should shiso be marinated?
You can eat it right away. Once soaked in salty soy sauce, it will keep well in the refrigerator for several days. However, the longer it sits, the saltier it will become. If you don’t plan to consume it immediately, I recommend adding a few extra leaves.
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Marinated shiso (perilla)
Video
Ingredients
- 15 shiso leaves
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 small clove of garlic (grated)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp dashi powder
- Chilli
- Sesame seeds
- Bonito flakes
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. You can skip the chili if you don’t like it spicy, or on the contrary, add more according to your taste.
- Katsuobushi is shaved dried tuna also known as bonito flakes. It’s used to make dashi stock, for example. I used about this much. If you don’t have it, you can omit it.
- Wash the shiso leaves and start stacking them gradually. Place the first leaf and add a spoon of marinade on top, then another leaf, and again some marinade, and continue like this.
- And it’s done. Store in the refrigerator in a well-sealed container.
Itadakimas!
