Fragrant Perilla Kimchi: A Rice-Thief Side Dish
Super Simple Perilla Kimchi Sauce Recipe (Baek Jong-won Style) – Makes You Gobble Up Rice!
Perfect for when you have a lack of appetite! This is a fragrant and delicious perilla kimchi made with Chef Baek Jong-won’s secret sauce. It’s a true ‘rice thief’! You can enjoy it immediately without any fermentation, or savor it while the perilla leaves retain their fresh aroma and crispness, making it the ultimate side dish.
Main Ingredients- 40 fresh perilla leaves
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1/4 small carrot
Delicious Sauce Ingredients- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp plum extract
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 5 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (sesame powder)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp anchovy sauce
- 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp plum extract
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 5 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (sesame powder)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your fresh perilla leaves. The quality of the perilla leaves significantly impacts the final taste of the kimchi, so choose them carefully for freshness.
Step 2
Prepare the complementary ingredients: onion and carrot. About 1/2 onion and 1/4 carrot is sufficient. Adding too much can make the perilla kimchi taste muddy, so use the appropriate amount.
Step 3
Take half of the onion and thinly julienne it. Slicing it thinly will help it blend well with the sauce.
Step 4
Similarly, julienne the 1/4 carrot very thinly. This will add color and a nice crisp texture.
Step 5
Begin preparing the perilla leaves. Use scissors to neatly trim off the tough stems from the bottom of each leaf. This makes them easier to stack and eat.
Step 6
Wash the perilla leaves one by one under running water. Ensure all dirt and debris are removed. After washing, gently pat them dry with your hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Excess water can cause the kimchi to become mushy, so this step is crucial.
Step 7
Now, let’s make the delicious sauce. In a bowl, combine 3 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 Tbsp anchovy sauce, 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes (gochugaru), 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp plum extract, 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic, 5 Tbsp water, and 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Mix them well. The golden ratio of soy sauce and anchovy sauce will create a deep flavor.
Step 8
Add the thinly julienned onion and carrot to the prepared sauce and mix thoroughly. The vegetables will absorb the sauce, becoming even more flavorful.
Step 9
Your delicious sauce and vegetable mixture is now ready. You are all set to start seasoning the perilla leaves!
Step 10
Now, it’s time to spread the sauce onto each perilla leaf. It can be tricky to apply the sauce evenly to every single leaf. For the first few leaves and towards the middle, don’t apply too much sauce; be a little sparing. This is because as you stack the leaves, the sauce from the top leaves will naturally seep down to the lower ones.
Step 11
Don’t worry! As you stack the perilla leaves neatly, the sauce applied to the top leaves will naturally penetrate the leaves below, ensuring the flavor is evenly distributed throughout. This even distribution of flavor is key.
Step 12
This perilla kimchi is delicious even without fermentation. The fresh, aromatic flavor and crisp texture of the perilla leaves remain wonderfully intact, making it perfect to enjoy right away. Its vibrant perilla essence makes it an excellent accompaniment to rice.
Step 13
I’ve created this wonderful and tasty side dish using simple, affordable perilla leaves for just one dollar. Try making this ‘rice thief’ perilla kimchi that the whole family will love right now!
