Would you like something a little bit different for Valentine’s Day? You can give it as a present or drink it yourself.
This is how to make red Shiso-Shu using the Japanese Shiso herb (Perilla) and vodka. It tastes like nothing you’ve ever had before but is so easy to make.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Red Shiso
Where to buy Shiso leaves? Korean shops, Japanese shops, Asian shops, herbs shops.
Vodka
I used a vodka from Tasmania this time, but you can use your favourite.
Shiso and vodka
Filtered water
I use a BRITA filter but there are a few brands on the market.
You can buy BRITA at Coles, Woolworth, Target, BIG W.
You can also use bottled water if you like.
Apple vinegar
I used Mazzetti Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.
Bring the water to the boil, add the Shiso, and cook 5-6mins.
After 5 mins, remove Shiso and strain the water to other pot or bowl by through sieve.
Add 400g of sugar into the Shiso juice and mix well and cool down.
Once cooled, add 150 ml of apple vinegar and mix well. The colour should change to a nice dark pink.
Add 700ml of vodka into the Shiso juice and mix well.
Pour the Shiso-Shu into bottles and keep in your fridge.
Video
Shiso, sometime called Beefsteak Plant in English because it’s red colour looks like red meat.
In Japan we use a lot of Shiso, with sashimi, Soba noodles, chicken, fish, or beef dishes, and making drinks.
How to store Shiso
• Wrap Shiso leaves one by one with wet kitchen paper and put in an airtight container or sealed bag. Keep it in the vegetables compartment of your fridge.
• If you want to store a long time, wash and dry out the Shiso then and wrap with plastic one by one and keep in your freezer.
You can ask shops that sell herbs about Shiso or you can grow it yourself.
I just ordered some Shiso plants from a herb garden near me. I am so looking forward to them coming!! It was 1 pot $ 5.50 AUD. I am going to research how to grow Shiso at home so I can grow my own.
For a Valentine’s Day present how about making this Shiso-Shu instead of buying Chocolate?
This Shiso-Shu you can drink straight, however, it is easy to drink so please don’t drink too much otherwise you can’t go to work next day hahaha!
This is another similar concept tomy limoncello recipe.
Well, I can’t drink alcohol because I’m allergic to it, but, I have a lot of lemons! We have a lemon tree in our garden and this season we’ve had good rain so we have fresh lemons on the ground every day😓😓.
lemon tree
I’ve been making jam, desserts, dressings etc, but my husband friend said make Limoncello. I didn’t know what it was because I don’t drink so I googled Limoncello. I thought lemon liquor was called lemoncello but it’s limoncello hahaha😂. So that’s why my bottles say Lemoncello. (sorry!) Limoncello is Italian lemon liqueur you can make at home or you can buy at liquor shops.
cold limoncello in glass
I decided to make limoncello so I went to a liquor shop near home looking for vodka but I have no idea which one is better. I saw a Japanese vodka from Suntory called Haku so I though “ oooh, I want to make limoncello with Japanese brand vodka!”. According to the Internet, Haku is made by with rice and filtered through bamboo charcoal but unfortunately I can’t taste it because of my allergy. Anyway, I got the Japanese vodka and went home, made a coffee, then started peeling lemons. My husband came home and I showed him lemon infused with vodka and told him what I was making today and he said ‘but you don’t drink” and I said “I know, but you and our friends do and I am happy just making something new”.😍
organic lemon and Haku
I checked limoncello shaking it every day. I was so excited about it. Every day the colour was changing and sometimes I’d open the lid and smell beautiful lemon aroma. If smelt it too much I’d feel drunk, my skin would get itchy, and I’d get a headache. 😭 After two weeks I made sugar syrup and mixed it together with my lemon vodka and poured it into bottles. I put them into freezer and waited for my husband to come home so he could taste it. He said it was so good and tasted fresh. I raised my fist above my head and said YES! I’m a bootlegger.
