Despite the name, Korean-style carrot salad isn’t actually eaten in Korea in this form — it was invented by ethnic Koreans living in the Soviet Union, who adapted traditional preparation methods to the vegetables available locally. Over time it became such a fixture on post-Soviet tables that most people never stop to think about its unusual origin.

The salad hinges on two things: how the carrots are cut and the hot oil finish. The carrots need to be shredded into long, thin matchsticks — a julienne grater makes this much easier, though a steady hand with a knife works too. Pouring hot oil over the raw garlic and spices blooms their flavor far more than simply stirring them in cold — the same technique shows up across Asian cooking whenever a dressing calls for sizzling oil poured over aromatics.

Let the salad rest in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before serving — straight out of the bowl, it hasn’t had time to develop its full depth of flavor. It actually improves on the second day, which makes it convenient to prepare ahead of time. Stored in a sealed container in the fridge, it keeps well for up to five days, and it works equally well alongside meat dishes, with plain boiled potatoes, or on its own as a snack.