Fragrant Stir-fried Perilla Leaves: An Easy Baek Jong-won Recipe!
Baek Jong-won’s Perilla Leaf Stir-fry from ‘Meeting Square’: A Perfect Home-style Dish
Young perilla shoots, or ‘kkaennip sun’, are tender stems and young leaves of the perilla plant, edible from stem to leaf. Revered as ‘medicine for the table,’ they are rich in nutrients and possess a unique, delightful aroma, making them versatile for wraps, steaming, pickling, seasoned side dishes, and even stews. Today, we’ll be making a Perilla Leaf Stir-fry following Baek Jong-won’s recipe from ‘Meeting Square.’ This recipe is incredibly convenient as it skips the usual blanching step, significantly reducing cooking time. It’s an ideal dish for busy individuals, packed with flavor, aroma, and nutrition. Let’s create a bountiful meal with this delicious perilla leaf stir-fry!
Core Ingredients
- Fresh perilla shoots 260g
- Cooking oil 3 Tbsp
- Green onion 1/2 stalk
- Water 120g (about 8/10ths of a paper cup)
- Perilla seeds powder (deulkkae garu) 12g
- Minced garlic 20g
- Brown sugar 6g (sweetness adjustable)
- Sea salt (kkot so-geum) 3.5g (saltiness adjustable)
- Toasted sesame seeds, a pinch (for garnish)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
If you can’t find fresh perilla shoots, you can substitute with regular perilla leaves. Keep in mind that perilla shoots harvested in the summer tend to be larger.
Step 2
Fill a large bowl generously with cold water and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Soak the perilla shoots for 10 minutes, then rinse them thoroughly under running water 3-4 times to remove any dirt and reduce any bitter taste. Drain them well.
Step 3
Trim the root end of the green onion and slice it thinly into strips. Slicing it thinly helps to release its aromatic oils when sautéed.
Step 4
Heat a pan over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add the thinly sliced green onions and stir-fry until they turn golden brown and fragrant. This process creates ‘green onion oil,’ which is key to the dish’s delicious flavor.
Step 5
Prepare the seasoning ingredients. The 120g of water is approximately 8/10ths full in a standard paper cup. Measure out the perilla seed powder for nutty richness, sea salt for seasoning, minced garlic for a pungent kick, and brown sugar for a touch of sweetness.
Step 6
Once the green onion oil is fragrant, add a handful of the perilla shoots to the pan. Now, instead of pouring all the water at once, add it in three separate additions. This gradual addition of water helps the perilla shoots wilt gently and keeps them moist throughout the cooking process. Be careful not to burn them as they wilt.
Step 7
As the first batch of perilla shoots wilts, add another handful and continue to stir-fry. Repeat this process until all the perilla shoots are tender and cooked through. It’s best to cook them over medium-high heat to ensure they cook quickly without becoming tough.
Step 8
When all the perilla shoots are tender, add the measured amounts of perilla seed powder (12g), minced garlic (20g), sea salt (3.5g), and brown sugar (6g). Stir everything together well, coating the perilla shoots evenly with the seasonings. Taste and adjust the salt or sugar if needed. Sauté for another moment to allow the flavors to meld.
Step 9
Finally, sprinkle a pinch of toasted sesame seeds over the stir-fry for an extra nutty aroma. Your delicious and fragrant Perilla Leaf Stir-fry is now complete! It makes for a wonderful side dish to serve with a warm bowl of rice.
