Perilla Leaf Kimchi (Kkaennip Kimchi)
Perilla leaf kimchi (kkaennip kimchi) is commonly eaten in Korea. Learn how to make this authentic summer kimchi using and fresh chilies, onion, and carrot. The step-by-step instructions will guide you to make this fragrant kimchi easily at home.
If you like Korean Kimchi and want to expand your taste bud for a new experience, try this Perilla Leaf Kimchi (Kkaennip kimchi, 깻잎김치). Perilla leaves are coming from made with Perilla plant.
Perilla Leaf Kimchi is commonly eaten in the summer time everywhere in Korea, or anywhere Koreans dwell. Nowadays, you can find these precious Perilla leaves in most Korean grocery stores during summer.
I bet Mr. Kim and Mrs. Lee in your neighborhood, or maybe Dr. Choi, your friendly dentist, might have this Kkatnip Kimchi on their dinner table this weekend.
Yup! I had this kimchi and my Nuhbiani (Easy Royal Korean Beef) last night, and I was in the pure heaven.
Here is a beautiful portrait of Kkaennips! They are packed in with Vitamin C and fiber. They are fragrant herbs, somewhat similar to mint and basil. Some love the fragrance and some don’t. But if you love basil, you won’t have problem getting used to the fragrance of these beautiful leaves. You can even make Pesto sauce with them and it is delicious.
Perilla Leaves FAQs
Perilla leaves are often called as wild sesame leaves in Korea. In Korean cuisines, sesame leaves are not used for cooking. Only the fruit of sesame plants, which we know as sesame seeds, are used. On the other hand, perilla leaves also produce similar fruits (seeds) from the plant. Both perilla seeds and leaves are used in Korean cooking.
Perilla leaves are herb and belong to the mint family. Therefore, it does have a unique but subtle scent in the leaves. The scent is cross between mint and basil.
Unless the perilla leaves are the main ingredient in the dish, such as perilla kimchi or perilla side dishes, you can omit them. In most cases, perilla leaves are added to lettuce wraps to go with Korean BBQ.
More Perilla Leaf (Kkaennip) Recipes
Koreans like to pickle these leaves as well, but today, I am going to share with you how to make Kimchi with them. Simply delicious!!!
How To Make Perilla Leaf Kimchi
Duration 45 minutes.
- Clean perilla leaves throughly
Perilla leaves need to be cleaned thoroughly. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of baking soda and let them soak in the water for 5 minutes, then rinse in the running water several times. That will give you peace of mind.
- Use a salad spinner to get rid of moisture
Salad spinner is a quick way to get rid of moisture from the perilla leaves; set aside.
- Prepare anchovy stock
Simmer dried anchovies with sea kelp in water for 5 minutes. Let it cool.
- Kimchi seasoning Ingredients
These are what you need to make the seasoning for perilla kimchi.
Anchocy saucem Korean soup soy sauce, Korean corn syrup (optional), sugar, sesame seeds, Korean chili flakes, onion, garlic, fresh red chili, carrot. - Julienne vegetables. Finely chop chili and garlic
Julienne carrot and onion, and mince garlic and chilies finely.
- Make kimchi seasoning paste.
Mix together sauces, chili flakes, sugar, corn syrup (if using), garlic, chilies, and sesame seeds. Add the 1/2 cup of reserved anchovy stock, and mix. The paste will be a little runny.
- Assemble perilla kimchi
Stack 2-3 perilla leaves on top of each other, spread a spoonful of kimchi seasoning on a top perilla leaf. (No need to spread on every leaf)
- Repeat the layer
Add a few slices of carrot and onion on top of seasoning and repeat the process.
- Transfer into a kimchi container
Stack them as a few bunches in a container. Add 1/4 cup of remaining stock to the leftover seasoning, swirl around, and pour over Kkaennip leaves.
- Press down with a spoon
Gently press your leaves with a spoon to get the air out.
How To Store Kkaennip Kimchi
You can eat right away with some rice or wait for one day to enjoy slightly fermented flavor.
After one day of room temperature fermentation, keep them in the fridge. They will last for at least two month, but I believe you will finish off in the next few days.
Wrap around some rice with a leaf, and savor all the summer flavors mingling on your tongue. Enjoy!
Check out more Kimchi Recipes; A few of my favorite summer kimchi are:
- Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi (Oi-sobagi)
- Quick Bok Choy Kimchi
- Light and Delicious Homemade Kimchi with Radish
Perilla Leaf Kimchi (Kkaennip Kimchi)
Ingredients
- 50 Perilla leaves
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 carrot, sliced into thin matchsticks
- 2 red chilies
- 3/4 cup anchovy stock*
- 3 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 2 tbsp Korean fish sauce
- 1 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Korean corn syrup (mulyeot), optional
- 1 tbsp garlic, finely minced
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
For anchovy stock
- 4 large dried anchovy
- 1 piece dried sea kelp (dashima)
- 2 cup water
Instructions
- Clean perilla leaves in water thoroughly. Drain well to remove excess water. (Use a salad spinner if you own)
- To make the anchovy stock, simmer together anchovies and sea kelp in water for 5 minutes. Discard the anchovies and sea kelp, reserve the stock.
- In a small mixing bowl combine chopped fresh chilies, Korean chili flakes, fish sauce, soy sauce for soup, sugar, corn syrup (if using), garlic, and sesame seeds. Add 1/2 cup of anchovy stock to the mixture and stir well. The seasoning paste will be runny.
- Place two perilla leaves stack together on the shallow plate (I use a glass pie dish) spread 1 teaspoonful of seasoning paste around on top of leaf. Sprinkle a few slices of onion and carrots on top. Place another 2-3 leaves on top and spread the seasoning paste and vegetables again; repeat the layers. You don't need to spread the seasoning on every leaf, just on every 2-3 leaves. Place perilla kimchi in an airtight container.
- Pour 1/4 cup of remaining anchovy stock to the seasoning paste, swirl around, and pour over the leaves. Press down gently with a spoon.
- Let the kimchi sit on the room temperature for 1 day and store in the fridge afterwards. Serve with rice as a side dish.
This is so good. I am so glad I found your site and recipe.
So happy to hear you liked this kimchi. I am glad that you found my site as well. Thank you very much!
I made this the other day and had some yesterday. SO good!! Wonderful recipe!!
I. AM. SWOONING! My local Korean market had an abundance of beautiful, fresh perilla leaves ready and waiting to turn into perilla leaf kimchi today. I just made it, tasted some, and it it is beyond delectable! I don’t think it’s going to last past tonight, since I am now heating up the broiler to cook the royal Korean beef dish you suggested to go along with it, and my family of 6 keeps coming in saying it smells beyond delicious. Oh my ~ tastebuds are having a party tonight! Thank you!!
I just finished making a batch using your recipe. Thanks! I can certainly understand your comment about perilla and pesticides. I’m growing perilla for the first time (16 beautiful plants) in my garden this year. The leaf-cutters (ants) will cut through the leaves like a bush hog.. Unbelievable!!
Hope you like it. Yes, bugs love fragrant herbs.
I love Ketnip! This looks so colorful and yummy! I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Hi Holly! I just wanted to say thank you for posting all of these wonderful recipes. I’m Korean-American, but I never really learned to cook Korean food from my parents despite having grown up with it. Now that I’m in Paris and have recently found a Korean grocery store, I’m looking forward to recreating the dishes of my youth with the help of your site.
Thanks Diane. It is good to know that there is Korean grocery stored in Paris. Hope you enjoy all the Korean cooking in Paris.
this is probably one of my all time favorite kimchi’s. LOVE it so much!
Love kimchi but perilla leaves just aren’t any shops around here – it’s rarer than hen’s teeth! If I ever lay my hands on some I’ll buy it and make this!
I bet it is difficult to find in some countries. Hope someday…
This is gorgeous and so unusual (to me). Thanks for the recipe — your blog makes me think about food in a whole new way!
Love kimchi but don’t think I’ve had a version with perilla. It looks delicious!
I really need to start growing perilla! It sounds like such great stuff. Nice recipe – I particularly like the idea of anchovy stock. I’ve not heard of that before, and it sounds wonderful. Good post – thank you.
Anchovy adds a good flavor to Kimchi without noticing the flavor. Perilla is great plant to grow in the back yard. Hope you get to look for the seeds.