Shiso juice is one of my favorite treats—especially refreshing during the hot summer months.
I recently visited the Dragon Market, which I introduced in a previous post, and picked up some fresh red shiso. The price? Unbelievably affordable—just 170 yen for 300g (including stems; approx. 200g of leaves)!
This time, I followed a recipe from the official Kagome website to make homemade red shiso syrup.
👉https://www.kagome.co.jp/vegeday/eat/201707/6808/
The process is super simple:
- Strip the leaves from the stems
- Rinse the leaves thoroughly
- Boil water, then add the leaves and simmer for 15 minutes after reboiling
- Strain the liquid once cooled
- Add sugar and heat until fully dissolved
- Stir in vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
✅ Done!
With just 200g of red shiso, I ended up with three 500ml bottles of syrup.
To enjoy it, I mix it with sparkling water and add a few drops of lemon juice. The result? A delicious, crisp shiso drink with a fragrant aroma—perfect for cooling down on a summer day.
If making it yourself sounds like too much work, I recommend trying Shiso Gokochi, a bottled shiso drink that’s also a local specialty of Kochi.
👉 https://www.sameurafoods.jp/
Let’s beat the summer heat together!
