In Korean barbecue, green perilla leaves lettuces are often used as a wrapper for grilled meat, such as bulgogi or galbi. It is called Ssam(쌈). The perilla leaf in Ssam is called 'Gget-ip(깻잎)'.The meat is placed on the leaf, along with other ingredients like rice, kimchi, and garlic, and then rolled up and eaten in one bite. The combination of flavors and textures is delicious, with the crispness of the leaf complementing the tender meat and the bold flavors of the other ingredients.
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| Ssam and green perilla leaf |
Gget-ip, Green perilla leaf
Gget-ip(깻잎) , also known as "sesame leaf" or "green perilla leaf," is a popular herb in Korean cuisine, used in soups or jjigae(찌개) as well as in ssam. The leaves have a distinct aroma and flavor that is slightly minty, with a hint of citrus and a nutty undertone. They are rich in essential oils, vitamins, and minerals, making them a nutritious and flavorful addition to any dish.
Ggaet-ip is known to help digestion and release food toxins, but it is not used in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (AHM). The commonly used variants in AHM are Zi Su Ye (Beefsteak plant) and Huo Xiang (Korean mint). They are very similar to ggaet-ip in appearance and function, with a strong fragrance. Zi Su Ye and Huo Xiang are both members of the Lamiaceae family. Even though Zi Su Ye is commonly categorized as a releasing exterior herb and Huo Xiang as a transforming dampness herb, they share many similarities. Both have a strong aroma and can treat internal dampness and release external cold simultaneously. Therefore, they are used to treat gastrointestinal symptoms (internal) with common cold-like symptoms (external). They are also commonly used as a condiment in Asian cuisine.
Zi Su, Shiso
Zi Su(紫蘇, Perillae Folium) is a genus of plants in the Perilla family. and an aromatic annual herb. Native to mainland China, it is widely cultivated in various regions. It is called jaso(자소) in Korean, and shiso(シソ) in Japanese. Zi Su Ye has a warm and acrid taste and is attributed to the Lung and Spleen channels. It is added near the end of decoction and has several actions, including releasing the exterior and dispersing cold, regulating qi and harmonizing the middle Jiao, calming the fetus, and resolving food poisoning caused by seafood.
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| Red shiso and blue shiso |
Zi Su is widely used in Japanese seafood dishes, and called Shiso(しそ). Shiso means "purple reviving grass" in Chinese 紫蘇, because according to a legend, when a child who almost died from food poisoning after eating a crab was revived after being fed purple perilla leaves, and that is why this herb came to be called "shiso(purple reviving grass)' (小池すみこ 1998, p. 66.). The Chinese character for "shiso" was originally derived from red perilla. Chinese call this puple while, Japanese call red. Blue shiso and red shiso are usually used for food, and blue shiso is also known as "Oba大葉". It is considered a typical Japanese herb with a distinctive aroma and pungency derived from perillaldehyde. The leaves as well as the young shoots, flower ears, and fruits are edible, and are mainly used to flavor and color dishes such as sashimi, hand-rolled sushi, and chilled tofu, and to remove the odor of fish. As a vegetable, blue shiso is in season from summer to autumn (July to October), while red shiso is in season in early summer (June to July).
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| Red shiso with Sushi |
Huo Xiang, Bang-a
Huo Xiang(藿香, Pogostemonis/Agastaches Herba), is a warm and acrid herb that is commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung channels and is typically used in a dose of 3-9g, added near the end of decoction.
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| Bang-a |
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| Bang-a flower |
Huo Xiang has several actions, including aromatically transforming dampness, releasing the exterior and dispelling summer heat, and harmonizing the middle Jiao and relieving vomiting. These actions make it a popular herb for treating digestive issues with cold like symptoms. It is known as the best herb to treat Huòlàn(霍亂, vomiting and diarrhea caused by dampness and summer heat)
Huo Xiang(Korean mit) is commonly used in Korean cuisine as a condiment. It is called baechohyang (배초향) in Korean, which means "to expel all other plant fragrances" because of its strong aroma. In the southern part of Korea, it is known as bang-a (방아), while in the northern part of Korea, it is often called Nagipul (내기풀).
It is a tall plant that can grow up to 60-120 centimeters in height and produces many branches. The leaves of Huo Xiang have a distinct fragrance that is reminiscent of mint and basil. When rubbed, the leaves release a strong, spicy aroma similar to that of cloves. The taste is also unique, with a slightly spicy and pungent flavor. Huo Xiang is commonly used in Korean cuisine, particularly in soups and stews, such as doenjang-guk (soybean paste soup), dwaejigukbap (pork soup with rice), agwi-jjim (steamed monkfish), jangeo-tang (eel soup), and maeun-tang (spicy fish stew). It is also used in North Korea to flavor dishes such as chueo-tang (mudfish soup) and sundae (Korean blood sausage).
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| Bang-a in Korean spicy fish soup |
I love both in my daily dishes. Why don't you try to enjoy these unique aroma.