This salad is loaded with freshly harvested tomatoes from our garden and spiked with shiso, super fragrant with citrus notes.

This summer my vegetable/fruit garden grew very well, since we had to stay home, I spent a lot of time in the backyard, watering, trimming and “talking” to the plants.

I have never had tomato bushes reaching the roof, herbs grew so large that resemble little trees, and fruit trees/vines were exceptionally fruitful…

Somehow when you make food with your harvest, they taste special. Today, I am sharing a very simple and yet refreshing salad using tomatoes and shiso leaves from my garden. Shiso leaves pair very well in salad especially when citrus flavors are added…in this recipe I used ponzu which is a citrus seasoned light soy sauce.

– Have you ever heard of shiso?

Shiso is very popular in Japanese cuisine paired with uni (sea urchin), sashimi, sushi, in salad or as a wrap. Moreover, shiso can be used in stew as well.

– How does shiso leave taste?

I found that shiso is like cilantro for many people, either you love it or you hate it…shiso has a pretty strong flavor, it is minty with hints of cinnamon, citrus, basil, cilantro and other flavors…very hard to describe. Once you had it you will never forget its flavors and fragrant.

– Is it hard to grow shiso herb?

Not at all, they are pretty much self-seed, and come back every year. The plant like sun, at least half of the day and does not require any special treatment. You can grow from cutting too, by placing in water until the roots come out and plant in well-drained soil after.

– Are there more varieties of shiso?

Yes, green and red, both are very similar in flavor, although the red ones seems to have a stronger flavor as compared to the green ones.

– Are you ready to try this recipe?

Ingredients:

  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumber
  • Avocado
  • Shiso leaves
  • Ponzu sauce
  • Fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Olive oil

Method:

Slice tomatoes and cucumber, about ½ inch and place in a bowl.  Add the cubed avocado and mix gently.

Wash the shiso leaves, dry and cut into small strips (julienned), and set aside.

In the bowl drizzle ponzu sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Toss in the salad mix the julienned shiso leaves.

Serve cold.

– If you are looking so simple and refreshing recipes for the summer, you might want to check on these…

Did you know that shiso leave has anti-inflammatory properties? Moreover, shiso contain antioxidant and anti-allergy properties as well. Shiso leaves are rich in calcium, iron and vitamin A.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

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