25/09/2026
How many of you enjoy cooking Japanese food? Or perhaps you are curious to try it?
Spring has suddenly arrived here in Brisbane, and I have started noticing lots of new sprouts appearing in my garden. I love discovering fresh leaves and new growth, especially in the areas I
have neglected for a few months. And look what I found — red shiso!
Shiso is one of my favourite Japanese herbs. It has such a fresh, distinctive fragrance and is incredibly versatile.
My grandmother used to grow both red and green shiso. When summer came, she would gather large bunches of red shiso leaves to make umeboshi, Japanese pickled plums, and she also made shiso juice.
For me, the smell and taste of shiso will always remind me of summer at home in Japan.
This year, I discovered that I had far too many red shiso plants!
So this week, I potted around 30 plants and delivered them to all of our dogstar stores.
If you would like to grow your own red shiso, please come and collect one a pot — they are free of charge.
Shiso prefers a slightly shady spot with moist soil, so remember to water it regularly. Each plant can grow to around 80cm tall. I recommend growing it in a pot, as it can spread quite enthusiastically the following season.
And of course, here is my simple shiso juice recipe.
Use around 200g of fresh red shiso leaves and 1.5 litres of water. Wash the leaves well and simmer them for about 5–10 minutes.
Once the leaves are removed, add around 100–150ml of fresh lemon juice, or a small amount of citric acid.
The deep purple liquid suddenly changes into a beautiful ruby red. It feels like a little piece of Japanese kitchen magic.
Traditionally, shiso juice can be quite sweet, but I prefer mine much lighter. You can add just a little sugar, or leave it almost
unsweetened.
Once chilled, mix one part shiso concentrate with two or three parts cold water or sparkling water.
Fresh, fragrant and slightly tart.
A handful of purple leaves, a little water and a squeeze of lemon and suddenly, summer is captured in a glass.
Enjoy the taste of summer, and please let me know what you think.
