Russian Korean Carrot Salad Recipe called morkovcha (Морковь по-корейски) is popular salad and side dish across Russia, Ukraine and the former Soviet states. Simple to make, a healthy salad that your whole family will love. It's not a hearty salad like the famous Russian Olivier Potato Salad, but popular in the same way!
This Carrot Salad recipe isn't a true Korean Carrot Salad recipe, but a Russian variation from ethnic Koreans who lived in Russia's Far East. The Korean Russians adapted their recipes to foods that were available. In this case, carrots grew well in Central Asia where the Koreans were resettled.
The funny thing is that this Carrot Salad recipe isn't known in Korea. It's really a Russian Carrot Salad by called Korean by name. Invented by Russian Koreans outside of Korea. But let's not complicate a good thing.
How to make Korean Carrot Salad
You can buy Korean Salad spices in Russian stores, but it's easy to make your own. Some recipes use onions to just flavor the oil when frying, and then discard the onions. I find that a waste of flavor. I sauté the onions and mix it into the carrot salad with the hot oil. You can discard the caramelized onions, and just use the hot oil if you prefer.
The carrots must be sliced using a mandolin slicer or a julienne peeler. The mandolin is the fastest way to prepare the carrots, or you could buy julienned carrots which is a great time saver!
You can use ground coriander, or just crush up whole coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle. I think it works better using whole coriander seeds, I love the fragrance of freshly pounded spices. For a spicier Carrot Salad, add more cayenne pepper to taste. If you're reading this from South Africa, Ina Paarman's Seasoned Sea Salt seasoning is great for this recipe, as it has all the spices required already premixed. Just add to taste, with extra coriander or cayenne as needed. Be careful not to make it too salty from this seasoning.
This salad is best when made ahead, at least 1 day before to allow to flavors to meld together. It should be served cold, and not warm from the hot oil.
A delicious Carrot Salad recipe from Russia, with roots of Korean immigrants. Thinly julienned carrots with garlic, vinegar, spices and onions in hot oil. A family favorite. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Korean Carrot Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs /1kg carrots julienned
- 5 tablespoons oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds ground in pestle mortar
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more for spicy
- 2½ tablespoons vinegar
Instructions
- Peel the carrots, and julienne them using a mandolin slicer or julienne peeler. You can manually slice them into thin pieces, but using a mandolin slicer will be quicker. The longer the carrot strand, the better.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and fry until caramelized. Remove from heat.
- Add the salt, sugar, black pepper, coriander, cayenne and garlic to the fried onions. Mix until combined.
- Pour hot oil and onions onto the carrot mix well. Add vinegar and refrigerate until it's cool you're ready to serve.
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I really like this! I've made this salad a couple times, and the recipes online are all fairly similar, but I always forget to bookmark, and I think this one is my favorite.
Thanks cat for the bookmark! You're right, they are similar, and agree, love this one too! 😊
If you use coriander powder, what would be the quantity? 1/4 tsp...? I love the salad by the way, I just have a lot of powder coriander.
Hi Renee, with ground coriander, start with ½ Teaspoon, and add more to taste
What about salt?? No salt??
Yes! Salt! It's in the instructions but not in the ingredients! I have fixed it up! Thanks for catching it! 🙂
In my ex-girlfriends family (who is mixed korean-russian) the recipe is very similar but they "dehydrate" the carrots a bit by salting them and pressing them (by hand) after a few minutes. This gets rid of excess water and prevents the salad from getting soggy in the fridge. I find it also improves the taste a lot.
Hi Felix! Great tip! Thanks for sharing!
Just made this to accompany some black grouper. I added 3 tsp sugar to counter the full dosage of Cheyenne (ha)....love it and will make it again!
Thanks so much, and thanks for the great feedback!
What kind of vinegar is best for this salad?
Hi Dee, I just use regular white vinegar.
Love this salad, so simple to make but tastes amazing! Never tried that Ina seasoning. Wondering if we have it in the US...
Thanks Valya! The seasoning is subtle as it is a seasoning salt... Sometimes I add more coriander as I like the flavor 🙂