Korean Perilla Leaf Sesame Rice
A fragrant, simple Korean rice dish infused with nutty sesame oil and topped with crispy toasted perilla leaves and sesame seeds. Perilla leaves add a subtle anise-like flavor that's distinctly Korean. This rice cooker method ensures fluffy, evenly cooked grains every time, and the combination of toasted sesame seeds and fried perilla leaves adds both flavor and texture to each bite.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (about 3 cups cooked rice)
Steps
Before you start
- Rinse the short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear
- Have fresh perilla leaves at room temperature
- Measure all ingredients before starting the rice cooker
Add rice and water to cooker
- Place the rinsed short-grain rice into your rice cooker.
- Add 2.25 cups (540 ml) water, the toasted sesame oil, and the fine sea salt.
- Stir gently to distribute the sesame oil and salt evenly throughout the rice.
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Ready when: Ingredients are combined
Tip: Stirring helps the sesame oil distribute evenly, ensuring consistent flavor throughout.
Cook rice in cooker
- Close the rice cooker lid and start the cooking cycle.
- The rice will cook for about 15–20 minutes depending on your model.
- Let it cook undisturbed on the standard white/regular rice setting.
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Ready when: Rice cooker automatically switches to warm/keep warm mode
Tip: Do not open the lid during cooking—steam loss can result in undercooked rice at the bottom.
Toast sesame seeds
- While the rice cooks, place a small skillet over medium heat.
- Add the white sesame seeds (no oil needed) and toast them for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Toast until they turn very lightly golden and smell fragrant.
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Ready when: Seeds are lightly golden and fragrant, and begin to pop occasionally
Tip: Watch carefully—sesame seeds burn quickly. Move to a clean plate as soon as they're toasted to stop carryover cooking.
Fry perilla leaves until crispy
- In the same small skillet (after removing the sesame seeds), heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Working in batches, carefully add 3–4 perilla leaves at a time, turning with tongs or chopsticks.
- Fry for about 1 minute per side until the leaves darken, become crispy, and smell toasted.
- Transfer each batch to a clean plate to cool.
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Ready when: Perilla leaves are darker in color, crispy to the touch, and fragrant
Tip: Pat perilla leaves very dry before frying—any moisture will cause splattering. Work quickly and don't crowd the pan.
Let rice rest briefly
- Once the rice cooker switches to warm mode, let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- This allows any remaining steam to be absorbed and ensures fluffiness.
- Avoid opening the lid during this rest.
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Ready when: Rice has finished resting and is ready to serve
Tip: This resting period is key to preventing mushy rice—don't skip it.
Fluff and assemble
- Use a wooden spoon or rice paddle to gently fluff the rice, breaking up any clumps.
- Transfer the rice to a serving bowl.
- Crumble or tear the cooled crispy perilla leaves into bite-sized pieces and scatter them over the top.
- Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds generously over the rice and perilla leaves.
- Toss gently just before serving if desired.
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Ready when: Rice is fluffy, perilla leaves are scattered on top, and sesame seeds coat the surface
Tip: Wait to tear the perilla leaves just before serving so they stay crispy rather than absorbing moisture from the warm rice.
Good to know
Tips
- Rinsing the rice removes excess starch and ensures fluffier results. Rinse in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear.
- Fresh perilla leaves are essential for authentic flavor—dried or frozen leaves won't provide the same crispy, aromatic topping.
- If you don't have a rice cooker, you can make this on the stovetop: bring the salted, sesame-oil-infused water to a boil, add the rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes covered.
- For a lighter version, you can omit the fried perilla leaves and simply top the rice with raw perilla leaves, chopped, and toasted sesame seeds.
Storage & reheating
Store cooled leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The perilla leaves and sesame seeds are best added fresh, but you can store them separately (leaves in an airtight container, seeds in a jar) and reassemble when reheating. To reheat: add 1–2 tablespoons water to the rice, cover, and microwave on 50% power for 1–2 minutes, or warm in a rice cooker on the reheat setting. Add fresh perilla and sesame seeds after reheating.
Substitutions
- fresh perilla leaves (Korean shiso) → Fresh shiso leaves or Thai basil leaves. Both have similar aromatic qualities. If using Thai basil, reduce the amount to 8 leaves as it's more assertive. Fry the same way.
- toasted sesame oil → 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter mixed with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) toasted sesame oil. This provides a milder sesame flavor while adding richness. Stir in after the rice finishes cooking if the cooker doesn't allow butter at the start.
- white sesame seeds → Black sesame seeds or a mix of white and black sesame seeds. Black sesame seeds are traditional in some Korean preparations and add visual contrast. Toast the same way.
- short-grain rice (sushi or Korean rice) → Japanese sushi rice or Korean short-grain rice (any variety). The key is short-grain rice; long-grain varieties will result in a less sticky, less cohesive dish.
