紫苏 (zǐsū) · perilla, shiso, beefsteak plant

Meanings

1 perilla
2 shiso
3 beefsteak plant

About the ingredient

蔬菜 Vegetables

Broad leaves with toothed edges, green, purple or both, with a strong scent. Chinese cooks pair them with fish and crab, stir-fry them with river snails and braise them with duck; Korean restaurants serve them with grilled meat.

Used in 1 dish

炒田螺 chǎotiánluó

Characters

Examples

HSK 4

奶奶在院子里种了紫苏。

Nǎinai zài yuànzi lǐ zhòng le zǐsū.

Grandma grows perilla in the yard.

HSK 4

做鱼的时候放几片紫苏，味道更香。

Zuò yú de shíhou fàng jǐ piàn zǐsū, wèidao gèng xiāng.

Add a few perilla leaves when cooking fish and it tastes more fragrant.

Tips

culture

紫 'purple' is for the leaves of the common variety, and 苏 was first the name of this plant. Chinese cooks use it with fish, crab and river snails; it is the same plant as Japanese shiso.