Shiso
By Anna King Shahab
Wonderfully aromatic with a flavour that’s at once distinctive yet hard to pin down, shiso is a handy herb to know.
What we call shiso is a variety of Perilla frutescens and belongs broadly to the mint family. There are several varieties Perilla frutescens available to us here in Aotearoa, ranging in hue and pungency: Var. crispa, in green or red, a Vietnamese variety tiá tô – its green leaves backed with purple, and kkaennip – usually translated as perilla or sesame leaf – which is readily available at larger Korean grocers. For the purposes of clarity the shiso we’re referring to throughout this piece is the green or red var. crispa common in Japanese cuisine, unless specified.
GROWING, STORING, PREPPING
Bicolour and green shiso growing side-by-side
Shiso grows well in our temperate and subtropical climates – in my garden it faithfully self-perpetuates if I leave the plants to flower. Bicolour and red shiso are a little more hardy and seem to be able to hold up to harsh summer sun, whereas you’re better off keeping green shiso in a shady spot which keeps the leaves from toughening. It grows very well in containers.
Once picked, leaves store for an impressive length of time in a ziplock bag with the air ushered out, in the veggie crisper – wrapping it in damp paper towels can extend its life even further. Check leaves for caterpillars, they do seem to be fans. While prepping dishes, keeping shiso under a clean damp tea towel is a good idea to keep it from drying out.
Use shiso leaves whole to wrap around morsels. Slice it into strips to toss into salads and garnish all sorts of dishes, and also have a go at clapping whole leaves between your palms to see how the gentle bruising can trigger different facets of aroma and taste. Try infusing shiso in hot or cold liquids – make a tisane, or perhaps a syrup to experiment with in cocktails alcoholic or non.
WAYS WITH
Shiso is prized in Japanese cuisine. Green shiso commonly appears in dishes, but red shiso also plays an important role behind the scenes – it’s used for both flavour and colour in preserving. Yukari is a coarse seasoning powder made by pulverising dried red shiso and adding salt; it’s enjoyed on its own or added to furikake blends Red shiso lends colour in the preserving process to the likes of beni shoga (ginger) and umeboshi (plums) – in the latter you’ll see bits of in the pottle along with the plums, don’t waste it, it can go into sushi fillings, dressings and marinades. Going full circle, umeboshi is often paired with fresh green shiso, thereby becoming the combination ume shiso.
Green shiso goes hand in hand with raw fish in Japanese cuisine – this is not just a happy flavour marriage but has a long history – pre-refrigeration, shiso leaves were used to wrap raw fish, the leaves offering antibacterial properties. Its bold flavour makes it the perfect foil for rice – wrap shiso leaves around grilled onigiri – rice balls. It’s also commonplace at the Korean dining table – often used to in ssam – lettuce wraps with all sorts of delicious fillings, as well as being stir fried and fermented.
Shiso is also used in Southeast Asian cuisines – as a flavour bolster for soups and salads. The more pungent bicolour shiso is particularly good on this front, making fast friends with chilli, lime, and fish sauce. Try adding it to Vietnamese bún dishes and summer rolls.
UME SHISO URAMAKI
You can simply make ordinary maki (rolls) with an ume shiso filling of course, but the inside-out uramaki look extra impressive. Our Japanese homecooking expert Kyoko Meguro shows us how!
Cook sushi rice and in a large dish or bowl using a rice paddle season the rice to packet instructions with sushi vinegar or sushi su powder, fanning the rice to cool it down slightly, then cover with a damp clean tea towel until ready to use.
Take a sheet of nori, fold it in half then cut along the fold line. Place one rectangle of nori on a bamboo lengthways. On top of the nori, use a rice paddle to arrange sushi rice on top, spreading the rice right to the border of the nori, in a layer that is not too thick.
Take 3-4 shiso leaves and slap them once between your palms to release the aroma. Place in a row lengthwise along the middle of the rice. Scatter over some toasted sesame seeds, especially on the layer of sticky rice above the shiso leaves.
Cut a sheet of cling film a little larger than the nori, place it on top of the shiso-topped rice and gently press down using your palms so the plastic adheres to the rice. Carefully flip the whole thing over so the nori layer is facing upwards.
Along the nori, arrange a line of pitted umeboshi – they’re quite tart so a narrow layer a half umeboshi wide will do. Alongside the umeboshi place two long thin strips of cucumber with skin but no seeds.
Using the bamboo mat as aid, begin to roll the clingfilm and nori upwards, and once it comes full circle and the rice from the underneath meets the nori sheet at the top, use your fingertips to compress the top where they meet, then straighten up the top of the clingfilm and mat and roll upwards again, pressing against the mat until you have a complete roll. Gently compress using your hands to secure the roll. You can set the rolls aside until you’re ready to serve, the cling film keeps them fresh for a few hours.
On a chopping board, slice cling film-covered roll and carefully remove each piece of cling film to serve.
Note: You can do away with the mat and instead use a sheet of clingfilm on the bottom in its place. It takes a little more practice this way.
SUSAN SAYS HERE’S A LAZY WAY
If you’re lacking either or both the time or inclination to go full roll, try simply clapping a leaf of shiso between your palms, placing a little seasoned sushi rice on top followed by a pinch of umeboshi and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Fold leave over the topping and pop it in your mouth.
