Perilla seed
Perilla frutescens · Seed
Top 10 pairings
Perilla seed — deulkkae (들깨) in Korean — is the small, round, grey-brown seed of the perilla plant (Perilla frutescens), an East-Asian member of the mint family. Toasted and ground, it lends a warm, nutty richness to Korean cooking, while its pressed oil (deulgireum) is a prized finishing oil.
Picking a good onedrag
New-crop seed, warm and deeply nuttyDull, clumped, smells of crayon
Pantry seedEveryday bestThicken deulkkae-tang and dress namul. Dark toasted deulgireum and pale cold-pressed oil are two articles, not two grades - buy the one you want.
Look at the seed itselfMostly plump, a scatter of small or flat seed
Smell a pinch, or the open bottleNutty but quiet, the roast faded back
Pour a handful through your fingersRuns free, a little fine dust left on your palm
Whole seed, ground meal or pressed oilOil in dark glass or tin, small bottle, press date on it