Shiso Syrup

About this Recipe

Pour shiso syrup over strawberry ice cream or drizzle in sparkling white wine for a shiso spritz. The flavor profile also plays really well with gin cocktails. Try using it for a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage in my Shiso and Soda or my Shiso and Ginger Ale recipes.

Lemon juice not only offers a balancing acidic lift to the herbal profile of shiso but also brightens the hue of the syrup and acts as a preservative to provide a slightly longer shelf life.

Makes: 2 cups

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

Instructions

1. Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a large covered saucepan. Remove the lid, using tongs, gradually add the 8 cups shiso leaves, gently stirring the leaves to wilt, adding more until all the leaves are submerged in the water. Adjust the heat to medium then simmer the mixture uncovered for 5 minutes.
2. Strain the mixture into a medium saucepan, using the tongs to squeeze and press the excess liquid from the leaves and and set aside for another use or discard. Whisk in 3/4 cup raw sugar and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking until all the sugar has dissolved. Continue to simmer, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a consistent heat, until the mixture has reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to a heatproof storage jar. For a more herbal forward flavor profile, add less lemon juice. For a brighter version of shiso syrup, add up to 2/3 cup of lemon juice.

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