What is "shiso"

n. Any of several varieties of the herb, (taxlink Perilla frutescens species noshow=1), related to basil and mint, used in Japanese cooking.

Shiso (, , ) is the more widely used name of the Asian culinary herb Perilla frutescens var. crispa, belonging to the mint family.

This herb was previously known as the "beefsteak plant", a mostly obsolete name. It is also sometimes referred to by its genus name "Perilla", which is ambiguous, as it is also inclusive of the so-called "wild sesame" variety, P. frutescens var. frutescens, which is devoid of the distinctive shiso fragrance.