Perilla comes in two main varieties - red and green. If you want to be pedantic, the red kind is called Shiso or Beefsteak Plant, and the green kind is called Oba or Japanese basil. Really, both can be used in much the same ways. However, traditionally, the green variety is mostly used with raw fish dishes.

Most people use it just like spinach, raw in salads or cooked. It goes well in stirfries.

There are countless recipes on the internet. Search for either 'Shiso recipes' or 'perilla recipes.

Harvesting: Harvest leaves as required for culinary use, best in summer once the plants are 10cm high and the leaves are 10cm long. Harvest seeds in late summer to autumn. Seeds are ready when they rattle inside the seed pod. For sprouts, harvest once the first true leaves have started to form. Flowerheads, cut on stalks 15cm from the tip, are harvested with 5-6 of the flowers have opened. Leaves rapidly lose flavour and aroma when dried.

Culinary Uses: Used as a sweet-spicy flavouring for oriental dishes such as stirfries, with raw fish and sliced cucumber, in vegetable dishes, rice and soups. Red perilla is used as a red or pink food colouring, for pickling fruit and vegetables, especially preserved ginger and pickled sour plums, and as a dried powder to be used as a side dish with rice, as an ingredient in cake mixes and as a flavouring in beverages, as a condiment with sushimi. The sprouts can be used as a garnish. Green perilla, or oba, is used as a vegetable, for wrapping rice cake, in salads and tempura and goes well with sweet potato. The seeds of perilla are used to make oil and to flavour foods, especially pickles. Seeds (called egoma) can be used on baked goods, like sesame seeds. The flowerheads are used as a condiment. The oil from the seeds resembles Linseed oil and is used as a food flavouring in confectionery and sauces.

Medicinal Uses: Rich in vitamins and minerals. A tea made from the leaves can be used to treat fever, headache, coughs and colds, nausea, asthma, vomiting, constipation, food poisoning, allergic reactions or as a wash for sores and wounds. Has been used to treat cancer. Seed is used for cold phlegm conditions associated with copious phlegm and wheezing. It is also useful for treating constipation.

Warning: Do not use the seeds if suffering from diarrhoea or a cough caused by weakness and deficiency.

It is quite strongly laxative, so don't overdo it!!

WOW! very cool thank you!

It is cool. Thanks Daisy D.

Although most herbs loose some or all of their aroma and flavor when dried,
such as coriander/cilantro and basils, but greesn shiso maintains most of it,
even if it is not kept sealed after drying. I just examined a year old leaf.
I use it just like basil, thyme and similar herbs in cooking.
When I have fresh ones, I use larger leave to stuff like Greek Dolma made with grape leaves. Also chop fresh leaves and add fo filling for stuffed peppers. To me the flavor is outstanding.
Some people think it is too strong, but not I.

Both green and red shiso are used in Japanese cuisine so be sure to check out those recipes!

FataMorgana

Here is a link that might be useful: Google - Ao-shiso recipes

red shiso is part of the herb garnish in vietnamese noodle dishes like bun cha, along with mint, basil and cilantro. I'm sure the green would work too, if you like vietnamese food.