Whole-Dried Red Shiso Leaves (Akajiso)

Whole-dried, unsalted, and unpickled. Vibrant color and lively taste ranging from basil to mint, with zesty and spicy overtones.

Red shiso (Akajiso), a nutrient-rich aromatic member of the mint family, is an essential part of Japanese cuisine as a natural condiment and coloring agent.

You can use it in many ways, including:

• Make iced shiso juice or hot shiso cha
• Make sprinkle seasoning (Shiso Furikake)
• Mix with rice for onigiri rice balls
• Use as a salad dressing base

See recipes below.

Red shiso is naturally rich in beta-carotene and antioxidant polyphenols, including anthocyanins and rosmarinic acid, which have been studied for anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, and antitumor activity. See the references below.

All-Natural • Pesticide-free

Freshly picked and dried whole for optimal quality.

Also available in 500 g bulk pack.

How to Make Shiso Cha

The following instructions are for making four 250 ml cups (1 liter total).

1. Pour a little more than 4 cups of cold water into a tea kettle.
2. Add 5–10 g, to taste, of loose leaves (about 2 heaping tablespoons).
3. Heat to a full, rolling boil.
4. Turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Turn the heat off and wait for about 10 minutes.
6. Strain and serve.

How to Make Iced Shiso Juice

This recipe makes about 4 cups of concentrate syrup.

Ingredients

• One 40 g pack of dried red shiso leaves
• 1 cup sugar, adjusted to taste
• 4 cups water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

How to Prepare

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Add the shiso leaves. Turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Strain through a sieve into another pot.
4. Add the sugar and mix well to dissolve. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
5. Turn the heat off and add the lemon juice. The color will turn vibrant red as you mix.
6. Let the mixture cool.

Dilute with regular, sparkling, or soda water to taste and serve over ice.

Store unused syrup in the refrigerator or freezer.

Furikake Seasoning & Onigiri Rice Balls

Make a simple shiso seasoning for rice, pasta, and other dishes:

1. Crush the shiso leaves by hand.
2. Add coarse salt to taste.
3. Add sugar to taste, if desired.

Store in an airtight glass jar. It should stay fresh for at least 2–3 months.

You can also mix the furikake with rice to make Japanese-style onigiri rice balls:

1. Cook a fresh batch of premium short-grain Japanese rice or sushi rice.
2. Let the cooked rice sit for 10 minutes.
3. Place some rice into a bowl using a spatula.
4. Sprinkle some furikake over the rice.
5. Mix the furikake into the rice with the spatula.
6. Wet your hands and mold the rice into balls. You can also use a commonly available plastic mold.

References

• Extract of Perilla frutescens Enriched for Rosmarinic Acid, a Polyphenolic Phytochemical, Inhibits Seasonal Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis in Humans - Experimental Biology and Medicine. 2004;229(3):247–254. DOI: 10.1177/153537020422900305.
• Anthocyanins in Perilla Plants and Dried Leaves - Phytochemistry. 2018;147:158–166. DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2018.01.003.
• Rosmarinic Acid in Perilla frutescens and Perilla Herb Analyzed by HPLC - Journal of Natural Medicines. 2020;74(2):341–352. DOI: 10.1007/s11418-019-01367-8.
• The Role and Mechanism of Perilla frutescens in Cancer Treatment - Molecules. 2023;28(15):5883. DOI: 10.3390/molecules28155883.