Red Ooba Leaves
Estimated Inventory, 100 ct : 13.00
This item was last sold on : 04/09/26
Description/Taste
Red Ooba leaves vary in size depending on their age at harvest. They are typically collected when they reach around five centimeters in diameter, but can sometimes be seen in markets in smaller or larger sizes. The leaves are broad, flat, and slightly oval, tapering to a pointed tip. The leaf’s surface is semi-smooth, glossy, and textured from prominent veining branching from the center vein or midrib. Red Ooba leaves showcase dark red, crimson, burgundy, and red-purple hues, changing with age, growing conditions, and the specific variety. Some types of Red Ooba may also have some green tones. It is customary for Red Ooba leaves to be sold with a portion of the stems intact, while green versions are sold with the stems removed. Red Ooba leaves have serrated edges and a soft, pliable consistency. The leaves are thin and translucent if held up to a light source. Red Ooba leaves have a refreshing aroma and a mild, astringent, and slightly bitter taste. The leaves are not commonly consumed raw due to this taste. Instead, they are incorporated as a natural coloring to preserved preparations or dried with other strong flavorings as a seasoning.
Seasons/Availability
Red Ooba leaves are available in the summer, typically between June and mid-July.
Current Facts
Red Ooba leaves, botanically classified as Perilla frutescens var. crispa, are the foliage of an herbaceous plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Ooba is a Japanese commercial term for the leaves of the Perilla plant, also known as Shiso. It is common for Ooba to be spelled Ōba, Oba, or Ohba, and the names Red Shiso and Red Perilla are interchangeably used with Ooba in Japanese markets. Two types of Ooba are sold for culinary purposes: green and red. Green Ooba is called Aojiso and is primarily used for its fresh aroma and flavor. Red Ooba, or Akajiso, is valued for its pigmented nature. Historically, the leaves have been used in medicinal and culinary preparations and sold in bunches in fresh markets. While the general Red Ooba name is mainly used in retail settings, there are two kinds of Red Ooba known as Chirimen and Katamen. These types may vary slightly in appearance and aromatic compounds, but are mostly used in the same way for culinary preparations. Red Ooba leaves are a seasonal culinary ingredient known for their ability to color pickling brines, drinks, and syrups.
Nutritional Value
Red Ooba leaves are a source of fiber to promote digestion and vitamins B, C, E, and K to guard cells against free radical damage, strengthen the immune system, contribute to energy production, and aid in faster wound healing. The leaves also contain beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body to help maintain healthy organs. Beyond vitamins, Red Ooba leaves provide minerals like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and iron. These minerals assist the body in supporting bones and teeth, build proteins for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and balance fluid levels. Red Ooba leaves are known throughout Asia for their anthocyanin content, which are organic compounds in the leaves that give them their pigmented hues. These compounds have antioxidant properties to reduce inflammation and protect overall bodily health. Red Ooba is also used in natural medicines throughout Asia, brewed into tea to help with indigestion.
Applications
Red Ooba leaves have a mild, astringent, and bitter flavor suited for dried and preserved preparations. The leaves are not commonly eaten raw due to their astringent taste and are often rubbed or soaked in salt to lessen their bitter nuances. Red Ooba leaves are valued for their pigmented coloring, which seeps into liquids and gives them an attractive red hue. In Japan, Red Ooba leaves are known for their use in pickling ginger and plums, called umeboshi. The leaves turn the pickling brine into a red hue and add coloring to the ingredients. Umeboshi is eaten with rice or used as a filling for onigiri, which are rice balls. Red Ooba leaves are also boiled to make a sugar-based syrup, which can be mixed with water or citric acid to make refreshing beverages. The syrup is sometimes mixed with sparkling drinks or soda as a summertime mocktail. Red Ooba leaves pair well with stone fruits, herbs like mint, basil, and rosemary, and aromatics including black pepper, ginger, and garlic. Whole, fresh Red Ooba leaves will keep for 3 to 5 days when wrapped in a damp paper towel and stored in a container in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Red Ooba leaves are traditionally dried and crushed into famous seasoning blends throughout Japan. The leaves are dried naturally in the sun or dehydrated and are incorporated into yukari, a type of furikake, and shichimi togarashi, a seven-spice mixture. Yukari, also known as Red Ooba or Red Shiso furikake, is a blend of dried leaves and salt. The mixture is popularly sprinkled over steamed rice or folded into rice balls for enhanced flavoring. Yukari is a brand name released in 1970 through Mishima, a Japanese company, and most Japanese consumers recognize the seasoning under this name. The blend was also adapted over time to flavor various dishes like popcorn, poultry, noodles, fish, eggs, and ochazuke, a bowl of steamed rice soaked in soup. Yukari is a type of furikake blend. Beyond yukari, shichimi togarashi is a seven-spice blend of ground red chile peppers and spices like Red Ooba, ginger, sesame seeds, seaweed, and sansho pepper. This mixture is treated as an all-purpose seasoning and is sprinkled over udon, other soups, rice, and into homemade mayonnaise recipes as a vegetable dip.
Geography/History
Red Ooba leaves are native to Asia and are hypothesized to have origins in areas of Southern China, the Himalayas, and Myanmar. The species has been growing wild since ancient times and was first documented in a medicinal record in the book “Taiping Huimin Hejiju Fang” during the Song Dynasty around 1110 BCE. Ooba leaves were transported along trade routes and were eventually introduced to other countries in Southeast and East Asia. The species has been grown in Japan since the Jomon period, 14,500 to 300 BCE, as seen in seed discoveries found at select ruins from the period. After its introduction, Ooba leaves were extensively cultivated as a medicinal and culinary ingredient in Japan during the Heian period, 794 to 1185 CE. The name Ooba was given as a brand name for the leaves in the 1960s to distinguish between the leaves for culinary purposes. Today, Red Ooba leaves have spread worldwide and are grown as a seasonal culinary ingredient for coloring, added nutritional benefits, and a faint aroma and flavoring. When in season, the leaves are sold fresh through local markets, retailers, and wholesalers. Red Ooba can also be dried for extended use and found in seasoning blends.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Addison Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-350-7600 |
| Lilo | Carlsbad CA | 619-385-0914 |
| Jeune Et Jolie Bar | Carlsbad CA | 858-231-0862 |
| Carte Hotel | San Diego CA | 619-365-1858 |
| Le Coq | La Jolla CA | 858-427-1500 |
| Sago (Bar) | Encinitas CA | 858-382-4047 |
| Trust Restaurant | San Diego CA | 609-780-7572 |
| Pizzeria Luigi | San Diego CA | 610-539-7025 |
| Huntress | San Diego CA | 619-955-5750 |
| US Grant Hotel Grill | San Diego CA | 619-232-3121 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Red Ooba Leaves. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Chopstick Chronicles |
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Red Shiso Juice (With Perilla Leaves) |
Red Ooba Leaves for sale around the world shared on the Specialty Produce App
