Green : Shiso is the Japanese name for the perilla (literally “purple plant that revives” in Japanese), (family of Lamiaceae - Botanical name: Frutescens knob), mint family, with small green or purple leaves with mixed flavors of cumin, anise and lemon.
Culinary uses of shiso : Shiso is commonly used in Asia as a green vegetable (salad), condiment and herb.
At the restaurant, one will probably first encounter the green variety, served with sushi and maki, sashimi and tempura among others. This is theakajiso, which have smaller leaves and are eaten as is, whole or chopped, often chilled.
As it is only a variant in size and pigment, the large-leaved red form can be eaten in much the same way, as in Vietnam, for example, where akajiso leaves sometimes replace the leaves of fresh mint and star fruit in raw spring rolls (the famous cha gio, which the North Vietnamese also call nem cuon).
The shiso garnishes the sushi or sashimi.
The Japanese make purple shiso, a vinegar in which shiso leaves macerate, which is used to season suhsis and maki.
Food and industrial uses:
– Certified food preservative and powerful antiseptic.
– Production of edible oil (especially the egoma variety). Seeds: 40% polyunsaturated oils (60% linolenic acid, 15% A. linoleic, 15% A. oleic).
– Powerful raspberry red food coloring due to an anthocyanin pigment, perillanine chloride contained in akajiso leaves (available on the markets from June to July).
In Japan they are mainly used for making umeboshi, beni shōga and various vegetables in brine or macerated in salt (tsukemono).
– Sweetener: one of the perilla aldehyde derivatives, perilartine is a powerful sweetener, up to 2 times stronger than conventional sugar.
– Source of industrial citral: perillene, perilla ketone, isoegomacetone.