FREE: Organic Purple Perilla (Perilla frutescens) seeds 50

The listing, Organic Purple Perilla (Perilla frutescens) seeds 50 has ended.

This plant not only looks nice in your garden bcos of its purple colour, it is also edible and medicinal. There are 3 varieties of cultivated Perilla or commonly known as 'Shiso' : the green, red and purple varieties, with the green one being the most commonly used in Japanese sashimi. The purple one is used more for Japanese food colouring such as ginger or plum. One friend uses the leaves in stir-fry. I prefer to use in my drink mixed with kombucha and palm sugar.

The WILD Perilla seed oil is toxic (Perilla ketones) to livestocks. Only the wild type and not the cultivated type but I wouldn't eat the seeds even though it is high in fatty acid omega-3.

This plant is an annual and reseeds itself easily and can be pretty invasive but the purple colour would make a very interesting border in your garden. I don't have a mature picture of it since I took this picture when the plant was still young. It's seed pods look like spikes and make sound when you shake them inside a paper bag, hence the nick-name 'rattlesnake'.

Perilla/kombucha drink :
I don't like to buy juices from the store bcos I don't like the preservatives nor added sugar or too much fructose (fructose is broken down in our liver just like alcohol). This drink is rich in beta-carotene (the purple colour in the perilla). I simmer some perilla leaves under low heat until all purple colour is gone fr the leaves (3rd pic showing the spent leaves which will be composted). Sometimes i sweeten my drink with stevia, other times I use palm sugar. I add kombucha tea (which I ferment myself) to give the drink a bit of ump..and tanginess. You can also try to add in some tamarind or lemon to taste. :)

These are 2 links more about Perilla :
http://altnature.com/gallery/perilla.htm

http://findmeacure.com/2008/12/29/perilla/