Spicy and Sweet Kkaennip Kimchi (Perilla Leaf Kimchi)
A summer side dish made by layering perilla leaves with a sweet and spicy seasoning enriched with fish sauce and broth.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
A sweet and savory side dish made by seasoning fragrant seasonal perilla leaves with savory fish sauce and anchovy broth. Layer two or three leaves at a time, spread the seasoning over them, and let them sit at room temperature for about 3 hours to soften slightly so they are ready to enjoy right away.
- Servings
- about 8–10 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Perilla leaves100 leaves
- Onion1/2
- Red chili pepper (or 1/4 carrot)2
- Thin scallions (or 4 tbsp chopped green onion)8
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)2/3 cup
- Fish sauce (or dried anchovies)2/3 cup
- Anchovy broth1 cup
- Minced garlic2 tbsp
- Minced ginger1 tsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds2 tbsp
- You can prepare 1/4 carrot instead of red chili pepper.
- Instead of thin scallions, you can use about 4 scallions (jjokpa) or about 4 tbsp of minced large green onion (daepa).
- Pour in about 2 tbsp of vinegar, submerge the perilla leaves completely in water for about 10 minutes, and then wash them front and back one leaf at a time under running water.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
This is 100 perilla leaves in 5 bundles. Each bundle has 20 leaves.
Here are the red chili pepper, thin scallions, and onion for the seasoning.
You can prepare 1/4 carrot instead of red chili pepper.
Instead of thin scallions, you can use about 4 scallions (jjokpa) or about 4 tbsp of minced large green onion (daepa).
Clean the perilla leaves
First, pour about 2 tbsp of vinegar into water and submerge the perilla leaves completely.
The underside of perilla leaves has fine hairs where dirt or small bugs might be hiding.
Soak them for about 10 minutes, then wash each leaf front and back under running water.
Drain them in a colander, then shake off any remaining moisture.
Trim the stem ends so they are easy to pick up with chopsticks when eating.
Slice the vegetables
Finely slice the onion, red chili pepper, and thin scallions into thin strips.
Make the seasoning
Add the onion, red chili pepper, and thin scallions to a bowl, add all the seasoning ingredients, and mix well.
Taste it and make sure it is pleasantly salty rather than bland, so the perilla leaf kimchi will be seasoned just right when eaten.
If you like it sweeter, you can add more sugar.
Spread the seasoning
Stack 2 to 3 perilla leaves and spread 1 tbsp of seasoning over them.
Coating all 100 leaves this way used up the seasoning just right.
If you leave it at room temperature for about 3 hours, the flavor will soak in nicely and the leaves will soften gently.
Flip the top and bottom layers of perilla leaves to swap their positions, then store them in the refrigerator and enjoy.
Finish
Fresh perilla leaf kimchi is seasoned with fish sauce and finished with a sweet sauce, giving it a delicious sweet and savory flavor.
Making it like this completely outshines the other side dishes we used to enjoy before.
Ppunwife's tips
- Taste it and make sure it is pleasantly salty rather than bland, so the perilla leaf kimchi will be seasoned just right when eaten.
- If you leave it at room temperature for about 3 hours, the flavor will soak in nicely and the leaves will soften gently. Flip the top and bottom layers of perilla leaves to swap their positions, then store them in the refrigerator and enjoy.
FAQ
Can I use a different fish sauce instead of sand lance fish sauce?
You can use the same amount of anchovy fish sauce instead of sand lance fish sauce.
Are there substitutes if I do not have thin scallions or red chili peppers?
You can use 1/4 carrot instead of red chili pepper, and you can substitute 4 scallions (jjokpa) or 4 tbsp of minced large green onion (daepa) for the thin scallions.
Is there a good trick to remove dirt when washing perilla leaves?
If you soak the perilla leaves for about 10 minutes in water mixed with 2 tbsp of vinegar and then rinse each leaf front and back under running water, it is easy to wash away any foreign particles caught between the fine hairs.
Should I put it in the refrigerator right after spreading the seasoning?
It is best to leave it at room temperature for about 3 hours so the leaves gently wilt and absorb the flavor, then flip the top and bottom layers before storing it in the refrigerator.
