‘Shiso’ (Perilla) is so difficult to find where I live. It is something you can’t use for cooking if you are not growing yourself. But now I know one Asian grocery store that sells Perilla. It is a different type from Japanese ‘Shiso’, but it has same texture and fragrance. If you have ‘Shiso’ (Perilla) leaves, you can add as much as you want to this dish. Even young seeds can be added but … that’s something you can use only if you are growing.

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Makes

4 Servings

Ingredients

2 cups (*180ml cup) Japanese Short Grain Rice
300-400g Chicken Thigh Fillets *cut into 2-3cm pieces
1 small piece Ginger *grated
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons Sesame Oil OR Canola Oil
10 to 20 Shiso Leaves *finely sliced
1 tablespoon Toasted Sesame Seeds

For Sauce
1 tablespoon Mirin
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Sugar *optional

Method

1. Wash Rice then cook as normal.
2. Cut Chicken Fillets into 2-3cm pieces. Place the Chicken pieces in a bowl, add Ginger, Salt and Soy Sauce, and massage. Then set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.
4. When Rice is cooked, heat Oil in a frying pan over medium high heat, cook chicken pieces with all marinade until browned all over.
5. Add the sauce and cook for 1 minute so that the sauce thickens. Pour the chicken and the sauce over the cooked rice, add Shiso and Toasted Sesame Seeds, and mix to combine evenly.