What Is Shiso Pesto?
Shiso pesto is a Japanese-inspired sauce made with the vibrant leaves of the Perilla frutescens plant.
Can the Japanese claim to have their own pesto?
At the heart of everything we do here at GO! Pesto is the belief that all cuisines are worthy of their own world-class pesto. We’re never happier than when developing new pestos because there’s an infinite number of ways to approach them. In the case of a Japanese pesto, kombu or nori seaweed would be an obvious starting point, perhaps paired with sesame oil and a hint of wasabi. Alternatively, maybe we could pair edamame beans, tofu, and some bonito flakes for a salty, umami kick.
Somewhere along the line, though, shiso (a herb from the mint family Lamiaceae that is used extensively in Asian cuisine) has become the de facto ingredient for a Japanese-style shiso pesto.
How to find shiso leaves
We're ashamed to admit, mainly because we are proud food nerds, that we spent a fruitless Sunday trying to hunt down a shiso plant from local garden centres. It wasn't until that evening that it occurred to us that herbs, like all plants, have countless names. In the UK, we should have been searching for 'perilla,' the more common shiso name.
Different types of shiso
Shiso has either green or purple leaves. The purple leaves have a strong, bitter flavour and are mainly used to dye the ume fruit when making umeboshi, a pickled plum.
The green leaves generally have a wider variety of uses, mainly when used fresh as a garnish for sushi and sashimi. Sometimes referred to as "Japanese basil," it's the obvious choice when making shiso pesto.
What does shiso taste like?
Shiso has a complex, acquired flavour. It is best described as bright, fresh, and citrusy, with hints of mint, basil, cinnamon, and coriander. It can often have some eucalyptus notes, too.
Shiso pesto recipe
| Ingredient | Quantity |
| Olive oil | ≈75g |
| Shiso | 50g |
| Chestnuts | 20g |
| Salt | 1.5g |
| Garlic | x1 clove |
| Lemon juice | dash |
How to make shiso pesto
Add all the dry ingredients to a food processor and pulse until you reach your desired consistency.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and slowly stream in the olive oil, stirring by hand. Adjust the amount as needed, starting with 75g and using your judgment to achieve the desired result.
Add a dash of lemon juice and serve like any other pesto.
Where to buy shiso pesto
A company called Vallebona sells shiso pesto, but get your credit card ready because it costs £26 for an 80g jar. We reckon that makes it the most expensive pesto on earth.
Fun facts about shiso
Have you ever wondered why your sushi comes with a seemingly pointless little green plastic strip with spiky edges resembling grass? There are several reasons:
1.) In Japanese restaurants, shiso leaves are used to separate individual pieces of sushi to avoid mixing flavours.
2.) The leaves are believed to have antimicrobial properties that help keep raw fish fresher for longer.
3.) Shiso leaves work alongside ginger as a palate cleanser between mouthfuls.
The plastic strip is simply a nod to that tradition.