morkovcha

Korean carrot salad

Time 20 min + 4 h Serves 6 For Every table Posted 30 September 2026 Koryo-saramIradUzbekistanKazakhstan

The Koryo-saram were deported from the Soviet Far East to Central Asia in 1937, and thousands were unloaded in the Chu valley. The Korean women had no napa cabbage for their kimchi, so they made do with carrots, and look what they gave us.

You won’t find it in Korea. You’ll find it in every bazaar from Tashkent to Talas, sold from enamel bowls by Korean grandmothers in flowered headscarves. One of them always slipped me an extra spoonful “for growing”. I make it every week now, and it never lasts.

Ingredients

6

servings

• 500 gcarrots, cut into very long thin strips
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tbspsugar
• 2 tbspvinegar (6%), or 1 tbsp 9% vinegar
• 1 tspground coriander
• 0.5 tspcayenne or hot chilli flakes
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 80 mlsunflower oil
• 1 small onion, sliced (optional)

Method

1. Toss the carrots with the salt and sugar and squeeze with your hands for a minute until they soften and give up some juice.
2. Add the vinegar and garlic. Pile the coriander and cayenne in a small heap on top.
3. Heat the oil until very hot (fry the onion in it until dark, then remove the onion if using).
4. Pour the hot oil straight onto the spices so they sizzle, then mix everything together.
5. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. It keeps a week.

From my kitchenA Korean carrot grater (or a julienne peeler) makes the long strands. A box grater gives you mush.

With love from my kitchen to yours,Jibek

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