Shiso maki rolls, skewered and seared.
Japan’s Tohoku region is justly famous for its walnuts – large, meaty orbs that produce an incredibly rich, aromatic paste when roasted and crushed – and its miso – a full-bodied red (burnished brown, really) fermented soybean paste. In this dish the two local champions combine with toasted sesame to make an addictively tasty filling for herbaceous shiso leaves. Some Tohoku chefs will add a spicy spark to the sweet-and-salty miso mixture by adding a pinch of fiery shichimi tōgarashi to the filling.
Miso-stuffed shiso leaves partner equally well with thimble-sized cups of saké and bowls of steamed rice.
DOWNLOAD recipe Shiso Maki
