All Shiso Products

Discover the distinctive flavour of shiso

Shiso is one of Japan’s most distinctive culinary herbs, prized for its aromatic leaves, vibrant colour and remarkably versatile flavour. Also known as perilla or Perilla frutescens, it belongs to the mint family, although its flavour is unlike any familiar Western herb. Depending on the variety and how it is prepared, shiso can offer fresh minty notes alongside basil, citrus, gentle spice, earthy warmth and floral or fruity character.

In Japan, shiso has long been used in everything from sushi and sashimi to salads, pickles, noodles and rice dishes. Red or purple shiso is particularly associated with umeboshi, where its colour and distinctive tart, aromatic flavour are used to transform Japanese pickled plums. Green shiso tends to have a brighter, fresher character, while purple and bi-colour varieties bring their own subtle differences in flavour and appearance.

Fresh shiso and growing your own

For the freshest experience, our collection includes shiso leaves as well as plants and seeds for growing at home. Fresh leaves make an excellent garnish for sashimi and sushi, but they are far more versatile than that. Tear them through salads, use them with noodles and rice, wrap them around food, or pair their aromatic freshness with seafood, vegetables and lighter dishes.

Growing shiso is an easy way to have a supply of fresh leaves throughout the warmer months. Green, purple and bi-colour plants each bring their own colour and character to the garden, while green shiso seeds offer the opportunity to grow your own from scratch. Shiso thrives in warmth and good light and can be grown in containers as well as in the garden. Regular harvesting encourages the plants to branch and produce more leaves.

Shiso as a Japanese seasoning

You don’t need fresh leaves to enjoy shiso. Our collection brings together several convenient ways to introduce its distinctive flavour to everyday cooking. Furikake makes it particularly easy: sprinkle red shiso furikake over rice, onigiri, noodles, vegetables or salads for an immediate hit of tangy, herbal flavour. The sesame and shiso furikake adds roasted sesame, texture and umami alongside the aromatic herb.

Red shiso also works beautifully with vinegar. Our Red Shiso Rice Vinegar combines rice vinegar with red shiso and candied sugar, producing a fragrant, gently sweet vinegar with notes of red fruit, basil, cherry and hibiscus. Use it in dressings and vinaigrettes, with sushi rice, vegetables, seafood and pickles, or experiment with it in desserts and fruit dishes.

For something more unusual, try shiso leaves preserved as a ready-to-use condiment, or use green shiso paste to bring concentrated herbal flavour to sauces, dressings and other dishes. The preserved red shiso, leaves are produced in small quantities in Aomori and seasoned with plum vinegar and sea salt, giving them a particularly vibrant combination of tang, fruitiness and colour.

Shiso for drinks and cocktails

Shiso is equally at home behind the bar. Concentrated Shiso Syrup can be mixed with still or sparkling water, incorporated into cocktails and teas, or drizzled over desserts. Its refreshing, sweet and gently spicy character makes it an easy way to experiment with shiso beyond savoury cooking.

Our Shiso Gin takes the idea further, combining Dorset-grown purple shiso with yuzu, sudachi and traditional English gin botanicals including juniper, coriander and bay. The result is a smooth, refreshing gin in which the herbal, minty and citrus characteristics of shiso remain clearly identifiable. It can be enjoyed with tonic or used as the foundation for more creative cocktails.

From a handful of fresh leaves to a bottle of gin, shiso demonstrates just how versatile one Japanese herb can be. Explore the collection and discover new ways to bring its fresh, aromatic and unmistakably Japanese character into your cooking and drinks.