From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
Also known as beefsteak plant, perilla. An Asian annual herb, Perilla frutescens, with green-and-red serrated leaves and a distinctive flavor, similar to mint. Shiso is often used decoratively, as with sashimi, or deep-fried in tempura, but it has a wide range of uses. Shiso was part of the cuisine of ancient China, but today it's almost exclusively used in Japanese-style cuisine. Not native to North America, the plant has naturalized extensively and is now considered an invasive alien. In Texas, ranchers are warned to keep herds away from the plants, which are toxic to livestock when they are flowering.
