Japanese green / Ao Shiso - Perilla

This 60 cm-high variety produces green leaves with a tender texture and a spicy flavor much appreciated in Asian cuisine.

What are the characteristics of green shiso?

Japanese green perilla, Perilla frutescens, also known as "green shiso" or "ao shiso", is an aromatic plant of the Lamiaceae family, native to Japan. Its characteristically serrated leaves offer a refreshing taste of pepper, lemon balm or basil. While this variety can be used in many dishes in the same way as basil or mint, it can also be eaten as a tempura fritter. Everything about shiso is edible: leaves, flowers and shoots.

How to plant green shiso seeds?

Perilla should be sown from March to June in a terrine, under a light shelter, at a temperature of between 18 and 20°C, keeping the potting soil moist. Germination can take up to 4 weeks.

• Soak shiso seeds 24 hours before sowing.
• Sow the seeds on the surface in sowing compost. They need light to germinate;
• Water lightly, but not excessively;
• Place shiso indoors under a light source or in a heated greenhouse;
• When the plants have 4 true leaves, after the last frosts, transplant into individual pots or directly into the vegetable garden, in full sun, in well-warmed, light, humus-bearing soil;
• Maintain a minimum distance of 60 cm between shiso plants;
• Mulch shiso plants to keep the soil cool and moist.

Perilla can be reseeded in abundance in the garden.

When to harvest green shiso

Shiso is harvested from June to October. The leaves don't keep well, so it's best to pick them as and when you need them. It is possible to freeze and dry them, but they will lose their flavor. Instead, we recommend preserving them in oil.

How to eat green shiso

Shiso is a medicinal, ornamental and honey-bearing plant. Cultivated in Asia since the 3rd century, this spicy variety is used to flavour many dishes, from sushi to sobas noodles and tempura (Japanese fritters). Purple shiso is often used as food coloring or in syrup. Perilla can also be found in oil form, renowned for its ideal Omega 3 and Omega 6 composition.

The medicinal virtues of this ancient variety are well established. It has been used for thousands of years as an antiasthmatic, antibacterial, antibiotic, antidote, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitussive, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, emollient, expectorant, pectorant, antipyretic, stomachic and tonic. First exploited for its anti-poison properties, this plant also relieves depression, certain intestinal pathologies and some tumors. In addition to its use in cooking, shiso is used in infusions, as a paste for skin application and as an essential oil.

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