Vinegar Infused with Red Shiso (Perilla) 赤紫蘇酢
August is the only time in the whole year where I am lucky to find shiso at my farmers’ market and I always find myself with huge bunches, cooking shiso dishes practically every day to profit from this precious moment. Having exhausted all the recipes I already knew (see below), I started to look for something new. This is how I discovered how to infuse vinegar, changing its flavours and colour. An unexpected way to use up my stock of shiso.
I found this recipe in my Japanese pickling book through which I go patiently and slowly, given my poor knowledge of kanji. I was a bit sceptical, so for my first batch I used cider vinegar (much cheaper than the rice vinegar I buy). Then I made another batch, this time with rice vinegar and though the flavours were more delicate and more sophisticated, both vinegars are fantastic, so I guess any neutral tasting vinegar will do. The taste changes to slightly herbaceous and pungent and, because of the first salting stage (see the instructions below) the vinegar becomes a bit salty. (As usually, I have slightly changed the ratio of ingredients, so if you read Japanese, check this amazing tsukemono book).
For those who don’t know this wonderful herb yet, shiso (紫蘇), or perilla, is an Asian aromatic dark red or green plant with an astringent taste and strong fragrance. Particularly appreciated in Japanese cuisine, it’s frequently used raw, cooked and its red variety is gives a reddish hue to pickles. Similar varieties of this herb are also used in Korea (ggaennip, 깻잎, though for me the taste and aroma are completely different in this case) and Vietnam (tía tô, more pungent, but closer to the Japanese variety). Apparently perilla is also appreciated in China.
Here are some other ways to use shiso (red or green):
Preparation: 10 minutes + 1 week minimum
Ingredients:
1 handful of red shiso leaves (akajiso)
200 ml vinegar (rice vinegar or cider vinegar; do not use such strong vinegars as sherry or malt vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Put the leaves into a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and massage gently with your hands.
Leave for then minutes.
Massage once more, squashing then with your hands and discard the liquid.
Slowly, stirring with a chopstick or any other wooden tool, add the vinegar to the shiso leaves.
Transfer into a jar. Close it and keep for three weeks in the fridge.
Discard the shiso, strain the vinegar and it will keep forever.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen perilla here but I don’t shop at the Japanese grocery store very often. Or even at the Asian grocery store so I might have missed it.
Oh well … back to baking. I made couple of loaves of honey whole wheat bread yesterday.
I don’t buy my shiso in Asian shops but at my farmers’ market.
Beautiful!!! You’re so amazing! My shiso plants are getting leggy and won’t last long. I made shiso juice the other day..loved it!
I purchased some eggplant so that I can make the pickle! I will let you know how it turn out.
Thank you so much, Nipponnin. I particularly appreciate your compliments! Oh, yes shiso juice! I also have the recipe in my Japanese book. I must try before they stop selling shiso. I hope you like the aubergine asazuke! (I still cannot believe I eat almost raw aubergine! and even less that it tastes sooooo good).
I am familiar with the process of aromatizing vinegar but I didn’t know perilla! I always learn something new when I visit here!
Thank you so much, Katerina. Perilla not only gives the flavour but also this beautiful colour. Until now I had known only European herbs used to infuse vinegar (and chilli of course), so it’s a big discovery for me too.
Sissi, this sounds perfect for summer. How do you use the vinegar? Dressings? My mom also made the juice and it is so refreshing. Thanks for posting!
Hi, Azusa. Thank you for visiting! So nice to hear from you again. Actually I love this vinegar on your tomato and shiso salad! (I keep on making it throughout summers… thank you for such a wonderful recipe!).
I am absolutely mesmerized by the beautiful colour that Shizu imparts on the vinegar and it doesn’t even take long to do so. Does it also dye your hands like beetroot? Just curious. The colour is simply beautiful.
Thank you so much, Eva. I also was surprised by the beautiful hue. Actually when you “knead” the leaves after leaving them with salt, the liquid that comes out is almost black. The colour turns pink only when it comes into contact with vinegar, so you don’t have it on your hands. Magical!
Finding Shiso here is virtually impossible, but then I thought that it would be impossible to find mitsuba and now I have it growing in abundance in my herb garden – thanks to you. 🙂 I looked it up and red shiso is a gorgeous plant and what a beautiful color it imparts in this vinegar. What an interesting infused vinegar. Thanks for sharing this Darlin!
Thanks a lot, MJ. I’m so happy to learn your mitsuba grows so easily. Remember to harvest the seeds. You will have your own seeds forever if you do it every autumn… Shiso is very difficult to grow from seeds (I tried several times and never succeeded…) but I’ve heard it depends on the seed quality and the climate, so maybe you will be lucky to grow it? (I know it’s sold at US amazon). Apparently once it starts growing, it grows back every year like weed 😉 I think it’s my favourite Japanese herb and I wish it was grown more here…
Thanks for the information on Shiso seeds. I’ll check it out and maybe give it a try next year. My herb garden is starting to get big. 🙂
Oh my, look at the colour on that vinegar! Just beautiful how the shiso bleeds and vinegar is a perfect base to allow it to do so. I find sometimes with vibrant colours like this in plant life as soon as you heat it alters the state and the colours eventually dissipate. Is your vinegar still as saturated Sissi? What a creative recipe too — I have made infused chile vinegars with peppercorns but never anything quite like this. Although I have not come across shiso at my local haunts (this is not surprising since I can’t find thai basil, fresh figs or green curry either – basically anything mildly outside the norm 😉 ) but as you know 😀 I’ve recently discovered a fab Japanese market in a nearby city and this looks worth the trip! Great idea Sissi, thank you!
Thank you so much, Kelly! Isn’t the colour stunning? (I’m in awe too! I still cannot believe I did it 😉 ).
the vinegar doesn’t change the colour at all! Still lovely hue in both cider vinegar and rice vinegar. I hope you’ll find shiso in the Japanese market. Maybe try to grow it next year? I saw seeds on the US Amazon. I am convinced everything grows perfectly in your beautiful garden 🙂