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Published 03/10/2022 Updated 05/30/2024
Recently, we learned about toasted sesame oil in Korean cooking. This popular ingredient is used throughout East Asia as a finisher and cooking ingredient. Now, I would like to teach you about perilla oil, a similar ingredient that is used almost exclusively in Korean cuisine.
Learn all about deulgireum below!
What is Perilla Oil?
Perilla oil is an edible vegetable oil made from pressing perilla seeds. Like sesame oil, there are two types of oil, toasted and untoasted.
- Toasted Perilla Oil: The pressed oil from toasted perilla seeds adds a nutty aroma and flavor to any dish. In Korean cuisine, people use both perilla and sesame oils as flavor enhancers, condiments, and cooking oils. Below, I will list examples of dishes that use perilla oil in Korean food culture.
- Untoasted Perilla Oil: Unlike the toasted variety, people do not use untoasted perilla oil for culinary purposes. Instead, perilla oil made from untoasted seeds is used for industrial purposes which include paints, varnishes, printing inks, lacquers, and more!
Once made, people use the leftover smushed seed byproduct (known as press cakes) of the oil-making process as animal seed and garden fertilizer.
Then, in South Korea, people also use the other parts of the perilla plant for cooking. Perilla leaves are used as an herb in dishes as well as an ingredient used in meat and lettuce wraps known as ‘ssam’ (쌈).
This ‘no waste’ mentality of using the entire ingredient (whether plant or animal) is prevalent in Korean food and eating culture.
Perilla Oil in Korean Cooking:
In the Korean language, the term for perilla oil is ‘deulgireum’ (들기름). As I stated above, people use this ingredient as a flavor-enhancing finisher, condiment, and cooking oil.
While used commonly in South Korea, it can be an acquired taste. Often, people describe the flavor as nutty and earth with a strong licorice and anise finish. I recommend using this ingredient sparingly until you decide whether or not you like the flavor.
Below, I list some examples of dishes that use this ingredient. Often, it is used interchangeably (based on preferred flavor) with toasted sesame oil.
Example of Perilla Oil in Korean Cuisine:
- Namul (나물): In English, ‘namul’ refers to a ‘seasoned vegetable side dish.’ People often season these side dishes with either sesame oil or perilla oil. Examples of namul include kongnamul muchim (Korean soybean sprout salad) and sukju-namul muchim (Korean mung bean sprout salad). Both of my recipes recommend sesame oil, but you can replace the sesame with perilla oil based on your preferred taste.
- Jeon (전): In English, ‘jeon’ refers to a type of Korean fritter or pancake made by seasoning whole, sliced, or minced vegetables, meat, or fish with a flour and egg wash or batter. Then, you fry them until crispy! Sometimes, people use this oil to fry these pancakes.
- Kim or Gim (김): Finally, in English, people refer to ‘kim’ (or gim) as dried seaweed or laver. In South Korea, people coat dried seaweed with sesame or perilla oil before roasting it. Then, people use dried seaweed as a snack or cooking ingredient.
As always, if you cannot find this ingredient, you can easily replace it with sesame oil in recipes!
Deulgireum Frequently Asked Questions:
Now that we learned about deulgireum, I would like to answer some potential questions you may have about this ingredient as well! If I do not answer your question, feel free to leave a comment in the section below or email me at [email protected].
What Is a Perilla Oil Substitute?
As I stated above, you can replace this ingredient with sesame oil if you cannot find it. Having said that, remember that they have a different flavor profile.
Perilla Oil vs Sesame Oil: What Is the Difference?
You should not confuse perilla oil, ‘deulgireum’ (들기름), with toasted sesame oil known as ‘chamgireum’ (참기름). While people in South Korea refer to both as ‘sesame,’ they are not the same plant and do not have the same flavor.
That being said, people often use them in similar ways when cooking.
Is Perilla Oil Gluten-Free?
Excitingly, it is naturally gluten-free! As always, check the ingredients to make sure the product you choose does not have any cross-contamination.
What About Other Major Allergens?
Deulgireum does not contain any major allergens. This includes soy, wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, sesame, eggs, and milk.
That being said, I think it is important to note that people can develop allergies to seed-based products such as sesame or perilla.
How Should I Store Deulgireum?
You should store sesame oil in a cool, dark, and dry location. You can keep it in your refrigerator if you live in a hot, humid place as this ingredient can go rancid rather quickly.
How Long Does Perilla Oil Stay Good?
Once refrigerated, deulgireum can stay good for up to six months. After that, I recommend buying a new bottle. Or, check the best-by-date!
Where Can I Buy Perilla Oil?
The most common Korean brands include Ottogi, Hansang, Beksul, Haepyo, Chungjungwon, NongHyup, and Sempio. You can buy all of these brands online.
You can also buy perilla oil in your local family-owned Asian grocery store or big chains such as H-Mart.
Where to Buy Korean Ingredients Online?
Nowadays, there are many online options to choose from to order Korean food online. These websites are not limited to but include:
- Amazon
- H-mart
- Hanpoom
- Wooltari
I Hope You Enjoyed Learning About Perilla Oil (Deulgireum) in Korean Cooking!
In the end, I hope you enjoyed learning about deulgireum in Korean cooking. If so, let me know in the comment section!
If you would like to read more about cooking, you can find recipes as well as further Korean ingredient articles on my blog. I listed some of our favorite Carving A Journey recipes below! For reference, many recipes are influenced by my family’s blended Korean and Southern heritage.
Korean Ingredient Articles:
- Sesame Seeds in Korean Cooking
- Dried Seaweed Sheets in Korean Cooking
- Persimmons in Korean Cuisine
- Chunjang Paste (Black Bean Paste)
- Perilla Leaves in Korean Cuisine
- Gochugaru (Korean Pepper Powder)
Further Carving A Journey Korean Recipes:
- Korean Rice Paper Fried Seaweed Trend (Rice Paper Kim Bugak)
- Traditional Kim Bugak
- Cheese Kimbap Recipe
- Tuna Kimbap Recipe
- Triangle Kimbap Recipe
- Tuna Mayo Rice (An Affordable Korean Meal)
- Jumeokbap (Handmade Korean Rice Balls)
If you have any questions or comments, you can also email me at [email protected]. And, finally, I would love to hear from you through our social media as well! You can follow me at @carvingajourney on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I also started a vlog YouTube channel with my husband! Or, if you would like more articles like these, you can subscribe to the blog by joining the mailing list. Let me know if you make anything with Korean perilla oil (deulgireum). Thank you so much for stopping by!
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