Micro shiso
Perilla frutescens · Herb
Top 10 pairings
Micro shiso is the seedling stage of the perilla herb (Perilla frutescens), harvested one to three weeks after sowing — once the first pair of true leaves appears above the rounded seed-leaves — and eaten whole, raw, as a garnish. At this size it delivers the full minty-anise-cumin-citrus signature of mature shiso in a tender, jewel-like leaf only a few centimetres tall, which is why chefs scatter it over sashimi, tartare and plated desserts.
Picking a good onedrag
Just picked, stiff and glossyBronzed, limp, scentless
Shop freshEveryday bestThe all-rounder: garnish, tempura, salads, pickles.
Leaf colourGreen, the gloss gone flat
The bladeSupple, still holds its own shape
Cut stalkCut end drying, stalk still stiff
Smell at a rubbed leafScent comes when a leaf is rubbed
These cues are Shiso's, and hold across its varieties; where this one differs, its own page says so.
Keeping ittap a temperature
A warm-season leaf: hold it near 10 °C. Below about 5 °C the veins bronze, the gloss dulls and dark patches spread, so a cold fridge costs you the leaf in days.
95-98%
Humidity
Loose bag, not sealed
Airflow