{"id":29589,"title":"What is Shiso?","modified":"2025-07-12T22:01:35+02:00","plain":"You may have already seen these small green leaves adorning your plate. Make no mistake... Shiso, still very little known in our regions, closely resembles mint or basil, both in appearance and taste. It's an extremely versatile plant that can harmonize with a good number of dishes. Let's explain.    \n\nWhat is Shiso? \n\nShiso, also called perilla or beefsteak plant, is an aromatic herb from the same botanical family as mint... Hence the confusion! It looks like mint, with bright green leaves and serrated edges. In Asia, it traditionally accompanies sushi or sashimi and also serves to separate elements on the plate, notably to prevent flavors from mixing.   \n\nPerhaps you've noticed it in Asian restaurants... In addition to its ornamental and gustatory qualities, shiso leaves also have preservative properties. The phytoncides it contains help prevent the deterioration of foods it wraps. The Japanese use these leaves to preserve raw fish or seafood.   \n\nWhere Does Shiso Come From? \n\nNative to Southeast Asia, shiso takes root in the plains of the Himalayas and up \"to Burma. \u2018Shiso\u2019 actually means \u2018purple plant that revives\u2019. In China and Japan, it has been cultivated and consumed since antiquity. It was only in the 1800s that it was exported to the United States, where it was first used as a spice before\" being used as an antiseptic for meat... Hence its surprising nickname for some, \"beefsteak plant\".    \n\nWhat Are the Different Varieties of Shiso? \n\nThere are two types of shiso leaves: green ones and red ones. Needless to say, the green ones are the most commonly encountered.  \n\nIn addition to differing in color, they also differ in flavor. Red shiso is designated as the \u201cpure\u201d form of shiso. More bitter than the green, it is mainly used as a food coloring, allowing foods to be tinted a beautiful reddish-purple color.   \n\nRed Shiso Leaves\n\nIn Asia, green shiso is considered a sacred plant, as it is said to eradicate the effects of food poisons. \n\nWhat Does Shiso Taste Like? \n\nGreen shiso leaves have a citrusy taste, with notes of cinnamon, clove, parsley, and mint. Red shiso, on the other hand, is similar to cumin.  \n\nWhat Are the Benefits of Shiso? \n\nShiso is known for its anti-allergenic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Consuming it may prevent colds, flu, and coughs that assail us during the winter period!  \n\nIt is also rich in antioxidants and omega-3, which contribute to the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system. \n\nHow to Use Shiso in Cooking? \n\nMuch more than a simple garnish, it's often used in the preparation of sushi or temaki, spring rolls or pho. You can also enjoy shiso by wrapping a leaf around a piece of sashimi, accompanied by a little soy sauce.  \n\nA Pho\n\nShiso actually pairs very well with dishes based on shellfish or fatty fish, such as salmon, amberjack, or tuna. It's also mixed into drinks, fruit or vegetable salads, to add a fresh note. Sometimes, it's made into tempura. When dried and ground, it can be used as a seasoning and sprinkled on noodles, like zaru soba, on furikake, on soups and broths... In Asia, it's used to prepare shiso maki, where shiso leaves wrap a mixture of sweet miso paste with other ingredients, such as eggplant and roasted nuts. The maki are then skewered and fried. Finally, the uses of shiso leaves are multiple, in both savory and sweet preparations.       \n\nHow to Replace Shiso? \n\nGiven their numerous similarities, both in terms of appearance and taste, shiso can be replaced with mint. Both belonging to the Lamiaceae family, they share the same refreshing effect. Similarly, Thai basil can also be a good substitute. If you don't have any of these ingredients, I recommend using grape leaves or cilantro.    \n\nWhere to Find Shiso? \n\nYou can find fresh, dried, or frozen shiso leaves in most Asian grocery stores. However, keep in mind that dried shiso has a milder flavor than fresh shiso.  \n\nSome supermarkets also offer it, but this is not always the case. \n\nHow to Store Shiso? \n\nFresh shiso must be stored in the refrigerator. You can keep it for a few days. If you can't consume it quickly, you can always freeze it. Dried shiso should be stored in an airtight container away from light.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29589"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45870,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29589\/revisions\/45870"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}