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Shiso
Perilla frutescens var. crispa, also known by its Japanese name shiso, is a cultigen of Perilla frutescens, an herb in the mint family Lamiaceae.
It is native to the mountainous regions of China and India, but is now found worldwide. The plant occurs in several forms, as defined by the characteristics of their leaves, including red, green, bicolor, and ruffled. Shiso is perennial and may be cultivated as an annual in temperate climates. Different parts of the plant are used in East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine.
Red leaves are dried and pulverized into flakes, then mixed with salt to make a seasoning called yukari.[33] The word yukari is an ancient term for the color purple, and was first used by Mishima Foods Co. to describe their shiso product, though the word is now used to refer to shiso salt in general.[34][35] Red shiso leaf flakes are a common ingredient in furikake seasonings, meant to be sprinkled over rice or mixed into onigiri (rice balls).
