Perilla Leaf Kimchi (Kkaennip-kimchi)

When I first posted this recipe, it got a lot of attention: Many North Americans had been trying to eradicate perilla leaves from their yards and gardens for years. I was surprised to hear this, since in Korea perilla is much loved and the basis for many recipes, this spicy lightweight kimchi among them. Perilla leaves have a minty flavor and a slightly fibrous texture. To enjoy this special kimchi, take a spoonful of rice, lay the perilla leaf with the spicy paste on top, and eat in one bite. The combination of mint and spices, along with the chewy texture of the leaf, transforms the rice into something exceptional.If you don’t grow your own, you can buy perilla leaves in Korean grocery stores. May and June is the best time for perilla leaves, and every year I go to the same stretch of Union Street in Flushing, Queens, where local Korean women sell their personal harvests on the street. The women change from year to year, but I can always expect to get the leaves. As with stuffed cucumber kimchi, I make this in small batches and I always eat some immediately. Then I put the rest of it in the refrigerator, where it will get a little sour, for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 pound

INGREDIENTS:

• 7 ounces perilla leaves (kkaennip)
• ½ cup Korean hot pepper flakes (gochu-garu)
• 5 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks (about 1½ cups)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water. One by one, dip the perilla leaves into the water to remove any dust. Then stack them neatly, with the stems pointing in the same direction, pick up the stack of leaves with both hands, and hold it under cold running water, letting the water run between leaves to clean them thoroughly. Shake the bunch of leaves to remove excess water.
2. Combine the hot pepper flakes, fish sauce, sugar, and sesame seeds in a small bowl and mix well. Add the onion, scallions, garlic, and carrot and mix well. Use your hand to spread some of the kimchi paste in between every other leaf (wear rubber gloves, if you’d like).
3. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.