Apples adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out shiso leaf's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
shiso leaf
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A large, serrated aromatic herb (Perilla frutescens var. crispa) — the most important fresh herb in Japanese cuisine. Green shiso has a complex flavor profile:…
42 pairings
Editorial
Flavor profile
Green shiso's flavor (dominated by perillaldehyde, the compound responsible for the distinctive Japanese note found in no other herb) is unlike any Western herb — simultaneously minty, basil-like, anise-adjacent, and uniquely itself. The large, ruffled leaves are used whole, chiffonaded, and fried in tempura batter. Applications in Japanese cooking: as a bed for sashimi (the antimicrobial properties of perillaldehyde reduce bacterial growth on raw fish); as a wrap for hand-rolled sushi (temaki); finely shredded over tofu, natto, or chilled soba; as a garnish for yakitori and karaage. Shiso tempura (whole leaves battered and briefly fried) is a classic appetizer preparation where the herb's fragrance is preserved in the crispy batter. Korean kkaennip (identical or closely related variety) is used as a ssam (wrap) for grilled meat, as a pickle (kkaennip kimchi), and as an herb in salads. Red shiso leaves contain anthocyanins — used to color umeboshi plums their distinctive deep red and to make akajiso vinegar.
Pairings
Flavor relationships
Pairs well with
apples
avocados
basil
beef
cabbage
chicken
chives
clams
crab
cucumbers
fish
fried foods
ginger
lemon
lemongrass
lime
meat
melon
mint
miso
noodles
onions
orange
parsley
pears
pickles
prawns
radishes
rice
salads, green
salads, fruit
sea urchin
seafood
shrimp
soups
soy sauce
sushi and sashimi
tempura
turnips
vinegar
wasabi
yellowtail
apples
Apples adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out shiso leaf's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
avocados
Avocados adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
basil
Basil adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping shiso leaf from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
beef
Beef adds savory richness and browned depth that gives shiso leaf more weight and turns it into a heartier dish.
cabbage
Cabbage adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
chicken
Chicken adds savory richness and browned depth that gives shiso leaf more weight and turns it into a heartier dish.
chives
Chives supplies an allium backbone that deepens shiso leaf's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
clams
Clams brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
crab
Crab brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
cucumbers
Cucumbers adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
fish
Fish brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
fried foods
Fried Foods complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
ginger
Ginger adds acidity, sweetness, or aromatic depth that helps shiso leaf work in drinks, sauces, desserts, braises, or cooked preparations.
lemon
Lemon brings acidity and brightness that sharpens shiso leaf's flavor and keeps the pairing lively.
lemongrass
Lemongrass brings acidity and brightness that sharpens shiso leaf's flavor and keeps the pairing lively.
lime
Lime brings acidity and brightness that sharpens shiso leaf's flavor and keeps the pairing lively.
meat
Meat complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
melon
Melon adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out shiso leaf's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
mint
Mint adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping shiso leaf from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
miso
Miso complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
noodles
Noodles gives shiso leaf a starchy, baked, or structured base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
onions
Onions supplies an allium backbone that deepens shiso leaf's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
orange
Orange brings acidity and brightness that sharpens shiso leaf's flavor and keeps the pairing lively.
parsley
Parsley adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping shiso leaf from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
pears
Pears adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out shiso leaf's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
pickles
Pickles complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
prawns
Prawns complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
radishes
Radishes adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
rice
Rice gives shiso leaf a starchy, baked, or structured base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
salads, green
Salads, Green adds structure and seasoning that helps shiso leaf integrate into a fuller dish instead of drifting around like an ingredient with no adult supervision.
salads, fruit
Salads, Fruit adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out shiso leaf's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
sea urchin
Sea Urchin brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
seafood
Seafood brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
shrimp
Shrimp brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
soups
Soups adds structure and seasoning that helps shiso leaf integrate into a fuller dish instead of drifting around like an ingredient with no adult supervision.
soy sauce
Soy Sauce adds structure and seasoning that helps shiso leaf integrate into a fuller dish instead of drifting around like an ingredient with no adult supervision.
sushi and sashimi
Shiso adds minty, basil-like brightness that cuts through raw fish and keeps sushi or sashimi tasting clean.
tempura
Tempura complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
turnips
Turnips adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
vinegar
Vinegar adds acidity, sweetness, or aromatic depth that helps shiso leaf work in drinks, sauces, desserts, braises, or cooked preparations.
wasabi
Wasabi brings heat, sharpness, or tang that wakes up shiso leaf's milder flavors and adds contrast.
yellowtail
Yellowtail complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
Avocados adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
Basil adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping shiso leaf from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
Beef adds savory richness and browned depth that gives shiso leaf more weight and turns it into a heartier dish.
Cabbage adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
Chicken adds savory richness and browned depth that gives shiso leaf more weight and turns it into a heartier dish.
Chives supplies an allium backbone that deepens shiso leaf's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
Clams brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
Crab brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
Cucumbers adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
Fish brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
fried foods
Fried Foods complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
Ginger adds acidity, sweetness, or aromatic depth that helps shiso leaf work in drinks, sauces, desserts, braises, or cooked preparations.
lemon
Lemon brings acidity and brightness that sharpens shiso leaf's flavor and keeps the pairing lively.
Lemongrass brings acidity and brightness that sharpens shiso leaf's flavor and keeps the pairing lively.
lime
Lime brings acidity and brightness that sharpens shiso leaf's flavor and keeps the pairing lively.
meat
Meat complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
melon
Melon adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out shiso leaf's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
Mint adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping shiso leaf from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
miso
Miso complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
noodles
Noodles gives shiso leaf a starchy, baked, or structured base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
Onions supplies an allium backbone that deepens shiso leaf's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
orange
Orange brings acidity and brightness that sharpens shiso leaf's flavor and keeps the pairing lively.
Parsley adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping shiso leaf from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
Pears adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out shiso leaf's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
pickles
Pickles complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
prawns
Prawns complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
Radishes adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
rice
Rice gives shiso leaf a starchy, baked, or structured base that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
salads, green
Salads, Green adds structure and seasoning that helps shiso leaf integrate into a fuller dish instead of drifting around like an ingredient with no adult supervision.
salads, fruit
Salads, Fruit adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out shiso leaf's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
sea urchin
Sea Urchin brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
Seafood brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
Shrimp brings briny savory depth that contrasts with shiso leaf's sweeter, fresher, richer, or creamy qualities.
soups
Soups adds structure and seasoning that helps shiso leaf integrate into a fuller dish instead of drifting around like an ingredient with no adult supervision.
Soy Sauce adds structure and seasoning that helps shiso leaf integrate into a fuller dish instead of drifting around like an ingredient with no adult supervision.
sushi and sashimi
Shiso adds minty, basil-like brightness that cuts through raw fish and keeps sushi or sashimi tasting clean.
tempura
Tempura complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
Turnips adds complementary vegetable character, giving shiso leaf more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
vinegar
Vinegar adds acidity, sweetness, or aromatic depth that helps shiso leaf work in drinks, sauces, desserts, braises, or cooked preparations.
Wasabi brings heat, sharpness, or tang that wakes up shiso leaf's milder flavors and adds contrast.
yellowtail
Yellowtail complements shiso leaf by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.