This popular carrot salad is actually a Koryo-saram (Korean diaspora) dish from Central Asia, inspired by Korean flavors. It’s crunchy, spicy, garlicky, and slightly tangy.
Ingredients
- 500 g (about 1 lb) carrots, finely grated or julienned
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1–2 tsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) or regular chili flakes
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1–1½ tbsp vinegar (white or apple cider)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the carrots
- Peel and grate or julienne the carrots into thin strips.
- Place them in a bowl and sprinkle with salt.
- Mix well and let sit 10–15 minutes to soften slightly.
- Add seasonings
- Add garlic, chili flakes, paprika, coriander, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce.
- Heat the oil
- Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan until very hot (almost smoking).
- Pour the hot oil directly over the garlic and spices in the carrot mixture.
- This releases the aroma and flavor.
- Mix everything
- Add sliced onion and fresh herbs.
- Toss well so the carrots are fully coated.
- Marinate
- Cover and refrigerate for 2–4 hours (or overnight for best flavor).
Serving
Serve chilled as a side dish, salad, or sandwich topping. It keeps well in the fridge for 3–5 days.