Steamed Perilla Leaves (Kkaennip Jjim)
♧ Steamed Perilla Leaves ♧ Fall in Love with the Aroma, Fall in Love with the Taste! ♧
This is an incredibly delicious and spicy steamed perilla leaves recipe! The fragrant aroma of perilla leaves, combined with a spicy seasoning, makes it impossible to stop eating. It’s a fantastic side dish for rice and an excellent accompaniment to drinks. Top with plenty of small dried anchovies, wrap them with the perilla leaves, and savor every bite!
Ingredients- 30 fresh perilla leaves
- 1/2 red onion
- 3 chili peppers (e.g., Cheongyang peppers or red chilies)
- 1 shiitake mushroom
Seasoning- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 5 Tbsp jangajji soy sauce (pickled vegetable soy sauce; if unavailable, use regular soy sauce)
- A little water
- 1/2 Tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 5 Tbsp jangajji soy sauce (pickled vegetable soy sauce; if unavailable, use regular soy sauce)
- A little water
- 1/2 Tbsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse the perilla leaves thoroughly under running water several times and pat them dry. Thinly slice the red onion. Slice the chili peppers diagonally, removing the seeds if desired. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushroom and slice it thinly. If the onion slices are too long, cut them into about 3cm lengths to ensure the seasoning distributes evenly.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, gochugaru, minced garlic, sugar, and doenjang. Mix well to create the base seasoning paste. Adjust the sugar to your preferred sweetness.
Step 3
Add the jangajji soy sauce (5 Tbsp) to the prepared seasoning paste. This special soy sauce adds a deep umami flavor, but you can substitute it with regular soy sauce if it’s not available. Stir everything together until the seasoning sauce is well combined.
Step 4
Arrange the perilla leaves in a wide pan or pot, overlapping them slightly in a fan shape without stacking them flat. Evenly distribute the sliced onion, chili peppers, and shiitake mushroom over the perilla leaves. Drizzle the prepared seasoning sauce evenly over the vegetables.
Step 5
Add a little water (about 1-2 Tbsp) to the bowl used for mixing the sauce to rinse out any remaining seasoning. Pour this water around the bottom edges of the pan. This helps keep the perilla leaves moist as they cook and prevents the seasoning from sticking to the bottom.
Step 6
Drizzle a moderate amount of olive oil (or cooking oil) around the bottom and edges of the pan. Cook over medium-low heat. Simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced. Gently press down on the perilla leaves with a spatula or spoon, allowing the seasoning to seep down. Once the sauce has been absorbed into the bottom of the pan, cover with a lid and steam-cook over medium-low heat for about 5-7 minutes.
Step 7
After 5-7 minutes, open the lid and carefully flip the perilla leaves. Once it starts to bubble again, gently lift the middle and edges of the perilla leaves with a spoon. This helps the seasoning to penetrate evenly throughout the leaves, ensuring a more flavorful and moist result.
Step 8
Once the seasoning has well permeated the perilla leaves, turn off the heat and remove the lid to let it cool slightly. It’s delicious served warm, but the flavors deepen even further when cooled completely. Transfer the finished steamed perilla leaves to a serving dish and enjoy!
