Shiso Maki with Walnut Miso Filling
Quick answer
- Total time
- 165 min
- Level
- Hard
- Servings
- 100 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Shiso maki is a Miyagi specialty made by cooking red miso with sugar, flour, walnuts, white sesame, and shichimi into a thick filling, rolling small portions tightly in green shiso leaves, skewering four rolls together, and frying them at 170°C until crisp.
Read more
It developed within Miyagi's Sendai miso culture. One origin story links it to Date Masamune, while another says it was created in Naruko for visitors taking hot-spring cures. Originally eaten with rice, the sweeter version also became a tea accompaniment, children's snack, bento side, and sake appetizer. Thorough draining keeps the fried leaves crisp rather than oily.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Wash 400 green shiso leaves and spread them in colanders to drain.
Remove the stems and wipe both sides of every leaf completely dry with a clean cloth so water does not spit in the frying oil.
- 2Season
Coarsely chop 150g shelled walnuts into pieces about 5mm wide.
In a heavy pot, combine the walnuts, 500g red miso, 375g sugar, 250g cake flour, 25g white sesame, 6g shichimi, and 100ml filling water evenly before turning on the heat.
- 3Control
Set the pot over low heat and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, scraping the bottom continuously with a wooden spatula.
When no raw flour taste remains and the filling is thick but still soft enough to fall slowly from the spatula, remove from the heat and cool completely.
- 4Step
Shape the cooled miso filling into short rods of about 3g each.
Lay each shiso leaf shiny side down, place the filling near the stem end, and roll tightly toward the tip. Thread four rolls on each toothpick to make about 100 skewers.
- 5Heat
Heat 1500ml frying oil to 170°C.
Fry the skewers in batches without overlap for 30 seconds, turn once, and fry for another 20 to 30 seconds. Remove immediately when the shiso is deep green and crisp and the moisture bubbles have subsided.
- 6Step
Stand the fried skewers on a rack and drain thoroughly for at least 5 minutes.
Once completely cool, eat at once or seal and refrigerate for up to one week. Freeze only after complete cooling for longer storage.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Cooked red miso filling with walnuts, sesame, and shichimi
- Finish cue
- When no raw flour taste remains and the filling is thick but still soft enough to fall slowly from the spatula, remove from the heat and cool completely.
- Avoid this
- Dry every shiso leaf completely so the 170°C oil does not spit and the leaves fry crisp rather than soggy.
- Storage and reheating
- One origin story links it to Date Masamune, while another says it was created in Naruko for visitors taking hot-spring cures.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official food safety guidance.
This recipe
165min, 9 ingredients
Category median
30min, 8 ingredients
Based on 194 recipes
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