Perilla Seed

Perilla is a genus in the mint family, Lamiaceae, encompassing several Asian plant varieties used as herbs, seeds and vegetables, with the main cultivated species being Perilla frutescens, known as Korean perilla or deulkkae, and its variety crispa, known as shiso or Japanese basil; these were once treated as separate species but modern genetics shows they share a common gene pool. The leaves, seeds and seed oil of Perilla frutescens are used extensively in Korean cuisine, while the leaves, seeds and sprouts of the crispa variety appear in Japanese and Vietnamese cooking, and the plants are cultivated and eaten mainly in China, Korea, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. Beyond the kitchen, perilla is one of fifty fundamental herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, used there for digestive and respiratory complaints.