Korean Soy Pickled Perilla Leaves

Quick answer

Total time: 30 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Kkaennip jangajji is a Korean soy-pickled perilla leaf side dish made by layering thoroughly dried leaves in a brine of boiled soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar with garlic and cheongyang chili.

One of the most important steps is bringing the brine to a full boil and then allowing it to cool completely before pouring it over the leaves. Hot brine wilts the leaves immediately and collapses their structure, while a cooled brine preserves their shape and allows the seasoning to penetrate evenly over the resting period. The perilla's bold herbal fragrance becomes rounder and less sharp when it comes into contact with the salty depth of the soy sauce, and the vinegar prevents the saltiness from becoming overwhelming, keeping the finish clean and bright. Cheongyang chili leaves a quiet but definite heat at the back of each bite, and garlic threads a pungent undercurrent through the entire flavor profile. Wrapped around a spoonful of plain white rice, a single leaf delivers its full herbal, savory character in one mouthful, and the combination is one of the most satisfying pairings in Korean home cooking. Stored in the refrigerator, the pickled leaves keep for well over a month, making this one of the most practical side dishes to prepare in advance.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

perilla leaves100 eaea

soy sauce150 mlml

water150 mlml

vinegar100 mlml

sugar3 tbsptbsp

garlic15 gg

hot green chili1 eaea

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Prep

Wash all 100 perilla leaves one by one under running water, checking both sides for grit.

Trim only the tough stem tips, then dry the leaves completely on towels or a rack so excess water does not weaken the pickle.
2

Season

Slice 15 g garlic thinly and cut 1 hot green chili on the diagonal.

Add 150 ml soy sauce, 150 ml water, 100 ml vinegar, and 3 tbsp sugar to a pot, stirring until the sugar starts to dissolve.
3

Control

Set the brine over high heat and boil for about 1 minute after bubbles appear around the edge.

Turn off the heat once the sugar is fully dissolved and the garlic scent rises, avoiding long boiling that dulls the vinegar.
4

Heat

Cool the boiled brine completely at room temperature before using it.

If poured while hot, the perilla leaves darken and soften too much, so wait until the pot no longer feels warm to the touch.
5

Control

Pack the leaves into a sterilized glass jar in neat stacks of about 5 leaves, pressing gently without crushing them.

Distribute the garlic and chili between layers, then pour the cooled brine slowly down the side so all leaves are covered.
6

Finish

If the leaves float, hold them under the brine with a clean weight or small plate.

Close the jar, refrigerate, and start serving from day 3, lifting one leaf at a time to wrap with plain rice.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Kkaennip-jangajji uses a cooled soy-vinegar brine to keep individual perilla leaves intact.
Finish cue: If the leaves float, hold them under the brine with a clean weight or small plate.
Avoid this: Trim only the tough stem tips, then dry the leaves completely on towels or a rack so excess water does not weaken the pickle.
Storage and reheating: One of the most important steps is bringing the brine to a full boil and then allowing it to cool completely before pouring it over the leaves.