What does shiso taste like?
Shiso tastes minty, herby and a little citrusy, like a mix of mint, basil and anise with a faint cinnamon edge, bright and fresh rather than sweet.
Shiso
minty, basil-ish, bright leaf
Shiso is a jagged green (sometimes purple) leaf from the mint family, used all over Japanese cooking. Bite into one and you get mint and basil first, then something harder to place: a bit of anise, a bit of citrus, a little warm spice. It's fresh and loud for a leaf, which is why it shows up next to rich or raw things to keep them lively. Purple shiso is earthier and is what turns umeboshi (pickled plums) pink.
Where you’ll see it
Tucked under sashimi, rolled into sushi with plum paste, fried as tempura, torn into salads and cold noodles, and muddled into mojitos, gimlets and sodas at cocktail bars. Menus sometimes call it perilla.
Order it if you like mint and basil and want something a little stranger.
Quick questions
- Is shiso the same as perilla?
- They are the same species. In US menus, shiso usually means the Japanese leaf, and Korean perilla (kkaennip) is a broader, more sesame-like variety.
- Does shiso taste like mint?
- Partly. It is in the mint family and has a minty side, but it is greener and more savory, with basil and anise in there too.