Marinated Korean Perilla Leaves (Kkaennip)

Difficulty Easy

Make an easy and popular Korean side dish: Marinated Perilla Leaves or Kkaennip! Fragrant perilla leaves are soaked in a simple yet vibrant dressing. So fresh and herbal! So exciting and flavorful! A great side dish with any meal. Make sure to serve with rice for maximum enjoyment.

What are Marinated Korean Perilla Leaves?

Marinated Korean Perilla Leaves is a simple and addictive side dish featuring stacked perilla leaves seasoned with a soy sauce marinade. The flavor soaks into the fragrant leaves, creating a delightfully salty and intensely delicious dish.

This popular Korean side dish is known by different names, depending on the ingredients and cooking method: Kkaennip Jangaji, Kkaennip Jjim, or Kkaenip Kimchi. Sometimes, the leaves are briefly steamed or brined in salt water. My recipe requires steeping in the marinade until the leaves soften and absorb all the good flavor.

To make at home, you’ll need fresh perilla leaves. Dip them in a simple sauce with Korean pantry ingredients and stack together. As they marinate, the fragrant leaves will soften and become very juicy. So flavorful! And easy!

The salty, addictive flavor of Korean Perilla Leaves pairs well with rice. Not surprisingly, it’s called a “rice thief” in Korean because you end up eating so much rice with it! Enjoy the unique flavor with white rice or Korean Purple Rice.

What is Perilla?

In Korean cuisine, Perilla (the Korean name is Kkaennip) is a popular herb that’s commonly eaten as a vegetable wrap with Korean BBQ (like Samgyeopsal) or added as a garnish to dishes.

Perilla is a member of the mint family. The flavor is earthy, herbal, fragrant—and minty! Similar to mint, it grows quickly and bountifully. Every year, I grow perilla plants in my garden and enjoy their aromatic abundance all summer long.

Perilla seeds and perilla oil are also popular in Korean cooking. They add earthy, deep flavor. Perilla oil is used as a finishing oil. Perilla seeds are often crushed and added as a garnish or soup thickener.

More recipes with perilla: Gamjatang, Perilla Oil Soba Noodles, Spicy Tuna Gimbap, Spam Gimbap.

Ingredients

  • Perilla Leaves (Kkaennip). Look for vibrantly green leaves with no browning on the edges. Fresh perilla leaves can be found in the produce aisle at Korean grocery stores.
  • Soy Sauce. Salty, umami flavor.
  • Vinegar. A little acidic tang.
  • Gochukaru. Dried Korean chili flakes.
  • Green onions. Can be swapped with chives.
  • Garlic. Adds spicy bite.
  • Sugar. A little bit of sweetness to balance all the savory flavors.

How to make Kkaennip Side Dish

  1. Wash leaves. Add perilla leaves to a large bowl. Wash in cold water to remove dirt and debris. Drain and stack the fresh leaves on top of each other. Holding the stems, shake the perilla leaves to remove excess water. Set aside in a colander.
  2. Make soy sauce marinade. In a medium-sized bowl, add soy sauce, vinegar, gochukaru, sugar, green onion, and garlic. Stir briefly to combine.
  3. Dip perilla. Taking two perilla leaves at a time, dip each side into the marinade. Transfer the dipped leaves to a tupperware container. Continue to dip the leaves, two at a time, and add to the glass container. Make a neat stack with the stems pointing in the same general direction. When all the leaves are dipped, scrape the last of the marinade on top of the finished leaves.
  4. Store. Transfer to the fridge, tightly sealed, where it will keep for 1-2 weeks. For best results, marinate overnight in the fridge or at minimum, for 2-3 hours. It can be eaten immediately but the flavor won’t be as strong.
  5. Serve. Serve with a bowl of rice and various other Korean side dishes. Enjoy!

PRO Tips

  • Point the stems in the same direction. When stacking the Korean perilla leaves together, it’s helpful to have the stems pointing in the same direction. Makes the leaves easier to remove and eat.
  • Stack the larger leaves on the bottom. Not all perilla leaves are the same size. Stack the larger leaves on the bottom and the small leaves on the top. They will be easier to remove and eat.
  • How to eat Kkaennip: It’s best to enjoy one individual leaf at a time. Grab the stem with chopsticks. Gently peel away the leaf. Place on top of rice. Using your chopsticks, grab a bundle of rice as you pick up the marinated leaf. Enjoy!
  • Store in a table-ready container. There’s no need to transfer the Kkaennip to another dish for serving. Instead, store in a container that can also be served at the table. I use a round glass tupperware container (pictured below). When ready to eat, simply remove the lid and serve, as is. A common Korean way to enjoy banchan at home.

FAQ

Is Korean Perilla the same as Japanese Shiso?

Korean Perilla is not the same as Japanese Shiso. They are both part of the mint family but they are slightly different. Perilla is slightly thicker and coarser. It also has a stronger, more robust flavor and aroma.

How long do Marinated Perilla Leaves stay good?

This side dish will stay good for 1 week — even up to 2 weeks. Make sure every perilla leaf is soaked with the dressing.

More Easy Recipes

marinated korean perilla leaves (kkaennip) in glass bowl

Korean Marinated Perilla Leaves (Kkaennip)

Lis Lam
Make an easy and popular Korean side dish: Marinated Perilla Leaves or Kkaennip! Fragrant perilla leaves are soaked in a simple yet vibrant dressing. So fresh and herbal! So exciting and flavorful! A great side dish with any meal. Make sure to serve with rice for maximum enjoyment.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Soaking Time 1 hour
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Korean
Servings 30 leaves
Calories 3 kcal

Equipment

  • Medium bowl
  • Tupperware container with lid

Ingredients
  

  • 30 perilla leaves
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Gochukaru *add 2 Tbsp for a spicier flavor
  • 1/2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp vinegar *rice vinegar, apple vinegar, or white distilled vinegar
  • 2 green onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions
 

  • Wash leaves. Add perilla leaves to a large bowl. Wash in cold water to remove dirt and debris. Drain and stack perilla leaves on top of each other. Holding the stems, shake the perilla leaves to remove excess water. Set aside in a colander.
  • Make soy sauce marinade. In a medium-sized bowl, add soy sauce, vinegar, gochukaru, sugar, green onion, and garlic. Stir briefly to combine.
  • Dip perilla. Taking two perilla leaves at a time, dip each side into the marinade. Transfer the dipped leaves to a tupperware container. Continue to dip the leaves, two at a time, and add to the glass container. Make a neat stack with the stems pointing in the same general direction. When all the leaves are dipped, scrape the last of the marinade on top of the finished leaves.
  • Store. Transfer to the fridge, tightly sealed, where it will keep for 1-2 weeks. For best results, marinate overnight in the fridge or at minimum, for 2-3 hours. It can be eaten immediately but the flavor won't be as strong.
  • Serve. Serve with a bowl of rice and various other Korean side dishes. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Tips:
  • Point the stems in the same direction. When stacking the Korean perilla leaves together, it’s helpful to have the stems pointing in the same direction. Makes the leaves easier to remove and eat.
  • Stack the larger leaves on the bottom. Not all perilla leaves are the same size. Stack the larger leaves on the bottom and the small leaves on the top. They will be easier to remove and eat.
  • How to eat Kkaennip: It’s best to enjoy one individual leaf at a time. Grab the stem with chopsticks. Gently peel away the leaf. Place on top of rice. Using your chopsticks, grab a bundle of rice as you pick up the marinated leaf. Enjoy!
  • Store in a table-ready container. There’s no need to transfer the Kkaennip to another dish for serving. Instead, store in a container that can also be served at the table. I use a round glass tupperware container (pictured below). When ready to eat, simply remove the lid and serve, as is. A common Korean way to enjoy banchan at home.

Nutrition

Calories: 3kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.04gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 113mgPotassium: 12mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 87IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.1mg
Keyword Kkaennip, Korean, Marinated, Perilla
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