Green Perilla (Shiso)

It is considered one of the most popular herb in Japan. Is almost always used when serving sashimi or other uncooked dishes.

Perilla is either red or green, the red perilla having an anise flavor and slightly less spicy than the green variety, which tastes more like cinnamon. The leaves, which are rich in calcium and iron, are used for seasoning, coloring, pickling and garnishing. Shiso leaves can be used whole or cut into strips. Use the flower buds by collecting the seeds at the end of the season to sprinkle on salad and rice. The Japanese, in particular, use the red variety to color umeboshi and pickled ginger. Perilla seeds form an essential part of the famous seven spices of Japan, which originated more than 300 years ago in Kyoto. Green perilla leaves are often wrapped around sushi or served with "sashimi" as a garnish. They also are added to soups, tempura or dried and sprinkled over rice. Japanese chefs add red perilla to tofu or bean curd dishes or use it wrapped around pieces of meat.

Ingredients:
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 bunch perilla leaves -- washed and strained
*** SAUCE ***
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame salt
1 tablespoon finely minced scallion
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Preparation:
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce and mix together using a fork. 2. In a container or a deep bowl, spread some sauce on the bottom and spread individual sheets of perilla leaves on top of it. Apply the sauce to each perilla leaf and stack in the container or bowl. Refrigerate to keep for a few days. The perilla leaves can be steamed, if you prefer, and served with the sauce.

Tsukune Chicken Paste
Servings: 50 as a hors d'oeuvre
This chicken meatball paste can be formed around skewers, boiled, used to fill vegetables, or fried/baked in patties between sheets of nori or green perilla leaves.

Go ahead and make the full amount, then freeze the
—800g ground chicken
—200g ground pork
—50g chicken fat if needed, finely chopped
—30g sesame seeds, toasted, or finely chopped chicken cartilege from breast
—2 eggs
—5 shiso (green perilla) leaves, finely chopped
—20g finely grated fresh yama-imo (or 1 sachet dried)
—1/4 onion, chopped
salt, pepper to taste

Soak chopped onion in cold water - chop fairly finely, but allow some texture to remain.
Season meat, and knead well until pasty. Ideally, use ground chicken from the tastier sinewy thigh areas. If the ground chicken is from breast meat, add some chicken fat.
Mix in lightly beaten eggs, shiso leaves, grated yama-imo, sesame, and cartilege if used.
Knead until paste forms one smooth mass.

For skewers:
Keep hands very wet, and form at least 2 tablespoonsful orf mixture around a wide flat skewer, or two skewers used together. Either place on a heated grill or on a greased piece of foil layed over the hot grill. Don't turn until pretty well done, as this mixture is soft.
When nearly done, dip into a narrow jar of yakitori "tare" or dipping sauce (separate recipe)and grill briefly to finish. Repeat the process if you wish.
Alternatively, wrap some mixture in a green shiso leaf or sandwich between two pieces of nori seaweed and fry or grill - good lunchbox fare.

For meatballs:
Have a pot of simmering water with a little soy sauce and mirin in it ready.
Form meatballs with very wet hands and drop into water. Leave for about 1 minute after they rise to the top, and remove with a slotted spoon, drain and cool.
Skewer and dip in "tare" before grilling to finish.

Stuffed peppers:
Halve small Japanese green peppers, remove veins and seeds, fill with mixture and grill, brushing meat with "tare" if desired.