Spice Mix for Korean Carrot Salad 25g

One sachet, a few carrots, and the salad everyone reaches for first.

MOLDOVA   ·   SECRET ELEMENT   ·   25 G

What it is

Morkovcha — Korean-style carrot — is not really Korean at all. It was created by Koryo-saram, the Korean community deported across the former Soviet Union, who could not get napa cabbage for kimchi and turned to the carrot instead. It became one of the most-loved salads on the table anywhere from Moldova to Vladivostok, and this sachet is the shortcut to it: the coriander-forward, garlicky, gently fiery blend already measured out for you.

The flavour is built on ground coriander — that is the note that makes the salad recognisably morkovcha rather than just spiced carrot — with garlic behind it and a warm red-pepper heat that carries rather than burns. Secret Element are a Chișinău spice house, and this is one of their standing blends.

How to use it

Coarsely grate about 500 g–1 kg of carrots on a long-julienne grater and toss with the sachet. Add crushed garlic and a splash of vinegar, then pour over hot sunflower oil — that step matters, as the hot oil blooms the spices and is what gives the salad its scent. Cover and leave in the fridge for two or three hours, or overnight; it is better the next day.

Serving suggestion — adjust quantities to taste. Follow the preparation instructions printed on the sachet.

Ingredients

A blend of ground spices built around coriander, garlic and red pepper.

Secret Element do not publish a full ingredient declaration for this blend, so we are not reproducing one here. The complete list is printed on the sachet — please read it before use.

Allergens & storage

Allergens: no allergen declaration is published by the manufacturer for this blend, and we will not guess at one. Seasoning blends can contain statutory allergens, so if you are avoiding any allergen, read the sachet before use or ask us and we will check a pack for you.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Once opened, transfer any unused mix to a small airtight jar — ground spices lose their aroma quickly in a torn sachet.

Net weight: 25 g  ·  Brand: Secret Element, Chișinău, Moldova

Make it the night before. That is the whole trick.