Article by Gil "hannaone"
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Image by hannaone
Nutrition information obtained from USDA food database or Korean Standard Food Composition Tables

Common Name: Korean Mint, Shiso, Korean Sesame, Wild Sesame Leaves, 깻잎

Often mistranslated as wild sesame or Korean sesame, kkaennip is an important ingredient in many Korean dishes.

The scent of the fresh leaves is somewhat similar to apples and mint, and they have a mild mint flavor. 

 When shopping for perilla choose leaves that are free from blemishes or spots. The color should be either a uniform green, or an even shading of light to medium or dark green on the upper side with purple shading to green on the lower side. 

Perilla is fairly easy to grow. They can be started indoors in containers about two to three weeks early, or directly planted after the last chance of frost. Transplanted seedlings should be spaced about 12 inches apart, direct sow should be thinned to the same distance. Deep water two to three days a week, and weed frequently. To encourage fuller growth clip the flowers and top of the plants, and fertilize once a month.
About eight weeks after planting the leaves should be ready to begin harvesting. Use scissors to snip the leaves off.

Perilla leaves are used in salads, as wraps for rice and meat, some varieties of Kimchi, and in some soups and stews.