Alright, so I’ve been messing around with plants and stuff for a while now. Not like a pro, you know, just trying things out in my little patch of green. It all started when I got fed up with always reaching for a pill for every little thing. Figured our grandparents knew a thing or two, right?
Anyway, this perilla thing. I first saw it growing wild near my fence. Honestly, I thought it was just some fancy weed for a bit. Then my neighbor, old Mrs. Lee, she was snipping some. I asked her what it was good for, and she just smiled and said, “Lots of things, dear, lots of things.” Not very helpful, but it got me curious.
So, I did what anyone does these days, poked around online a bit. Saw a bunch of stuff, some sounded too good to be true, frankly. But I figured, hey, it’s growing right there, what’s the harm in trying a little?
My First Few Tries with Perilla
The first thing I did was make a kind of tea. Just grabbed a few leaves, washed ’em, and poured some hot water over them. Let it sit for a few minutes. The smell was… interesting. Strong, a bit minty, a bit like something else I couldn’t quite place. The taste was okay, not my favorite, but not bad.
I remember one afternoon, I ate something a bit too greasy for lunch. My stomach was feeling all kinds of churned up. I thought, “Well, let’s see if Mrs. Lee’s wonder plant does anything.” So, I brewed that tea again. And you know what? After about half an hour, my stomach did feel a bit settled. Placebo? Maybe. But it worked for me that day.
Then, I got a bit bolder. I’d read somewhere people cook with it. I was making some fish, and fish can sometimes have that strong, fishy smell, you know? I chopped up a few perilla leaves and threw them in with the ginger and spring onions. It actually gave the fish a really nice, fresh kind of flavor. And my kitchen didn’t smell like a fish market afterwards, which was a bonus.
My kid had a bit of a sniffle once, nothing serious, just a blocked nose. I remembered reading something about it helping with colds. I didn’t make him drink the tea – he’d probably refuse. But I crushed a fresh leaf and let him sniff it. He said it helped him breathe a bit easier for a while. Again, who knows for sure, but it didn’t hurt.
How I Use It Now
So now, perilla’s just part of my kitchen garden regulars. I don’t use it every single day, but it’s there when I feel like it. Here’s pretty much what I do with it:
- Tea for an upset stomach: This is my main go-to. If I feel bloated or just a bit off after eating, a mild perilla tea seems to help me.
- Cooking: Definitely for fish. Sometimes I’ll shred it into salads or even with some stir-fried meats. It adds a zing. I’ve found it’s good with rich foods, seems to cut through the greasiness a bit.
- Just chewing a leaf: If I feel a bit queasy or my mouth feels a bit stale, sometimes I’ll just pick a small fresh leaf and chew on it. The flavor is strong, but it kind of wakes up my mouth.
Look, I’m no herbalist or doctor. This is just my experience, what I’ve found from just trying things out myself. I didn’t run any scientific tests, obviously. It’s one of those things that’s been around for ages, and for me, it’s been a pretty handy plant to have in the garden. Simple stuff, really. If you’ve got some growing, or see it at a market, maybe give it a try. Can’t say it’ll change your life, but it’s been a nice little discovery for me.
