Korean carrots: benefit or harm, how to cook

Recently, especially on the eve of the holidays, the benefits and harms of Korean carrots have become the subject of controversy not only among nutritionists, but also among ordinary people. It is believed that in Russia they learned about this kind of salad from settlers from the DPRK not so long ago - somewhere in the middle of the last century. In fairness, it should be said that the “native” marinade was prepared from other vegetables, which were simply not available in Russia, but savvy Koreans found an alternative, replacing them with carrots. Some technological features of pickling a vegetable have survived to this day, since there is no classic recipe as such.

Korean carrot composition

In Korean cuisine, various marinades and spices are actively used, thanks to which the food becomes especially tasty. The ingredients in Korean carrots usually vary according to the taste preferences of the person making them. Some people like a not too spicy appetizer, but others like a more pungent one. It uses seasonings that are beneficial to health due to their antibacterial properties. But there are still a few basic components that remain unchanged. So, for example, it is impossible to cook Korean carrots without some products, namely:

• vegetable oil, allowing most spices to open;
• vinegar;
• coriander;
• black and hot peppers, red;
• dry garlic;
• sugar and salt.

This list is complemented by ready-made mixes with nutmeg, dry basil, ginger, turmeric and sesame seeds.

Calorie content of carrots in Korean

Nutritionists tirelessly remind about the beneficial properties of vegetables. Among the root crops in garden beds, healthy carrots have the lowest calorie content: in 100 g, only 34 kcal. In Korean carrots, in the same hundred grams, there are already 113 kcal, which is also not so much.

If you ask yourself what contributes to such a rapid increase in energy value, then the answer will be unequivocal: of course, the spices, which are generously flavored with the root vegetable. And the first in the list of high-calorie seasonings is vegetable oil (after all, it is 100% fat). Even one tablespoon adds a lot of calories to the vegetable.

Are Korean carrots good for you?

Even children know about the beneficial properties of red root vegetables, but are carrots useful in Korean? The benefits of spicy dishes have not been questioned for a long time. Korean-style carrots, flavored with many spices and seasonings, have a beneficial effect on the digestion process with their pungency. Condiments promote the secretion of gastric juice, thereby stimulating the appetite. Doctors have long known about the beneficial properties of spicy carrots, so they recommend using it in the diet to strengthen the walls of blood vessels in people with a sick stomach and intestines.

The benefits of Korean carrots for the body are due to the way they are prepared, which preserves the beneficial properties of the vegetable and the necessary substances, for example, vitamins. As you know, the benefit of a vegetable is its richness in vitamins.Most of the health benefits of carrots are due to their high beta-carotene content. The benefit of carotenes is to protect blood vessels and prolong their "youth" for a long period. A large amount of carotene guarantees good vision.

Korean carrots for weight loss

Without any controversy, Korean carrots are a low-calorie dish, but one should not be fooled about this. Its preparation involves the use of products, the properties of which will not be entirely useful for losing weight. This includes salt, granulated sugar, herbs and spices, which can make it difficult to lose weight. Eating Korean-style carrots on a diet increases appetite, which can lead to overeating. For people who are losing weight, nutritionists are advised to reduce or even completely eliminate harmful food from the diet. Korean carrots contain fats, from which the benefits for the body are questionable.

The use of Korean carrots in cooking

Korean-style spicy carrots are a delicious snack in and of themselves. As they say, it's not a shame to serve, and they will eat it - it's not a pity! In addition, the generously spiced root vegetable is a versatile ingredient in many salads, for which bright, beautifully cut carrot strips are also a decoration.

Korean carrots are used for filling various rolls, and also added to some dishes to add a spicy taste. And for any meat dish, such carrots are simply irreplaceable as a side dish. And a lot has been said about the benefits of combining meat with vegetables.

How to make homemade Korean carrots

The key to successful self-pickling of carrots in Korean is considered to be the use of the necessary spices and the presence of a special grater.

Although the absence of the latter, with a strong desire, can be compensated for by manual cutting. Most housewives buy ready-made seasoning for homemade snacks. This simplifies cooking and makes the salad look like a store-bought salad. There are many variations of its preparation. They are distinguished by different proportions of ingredients, composition of spices. When choosing the best option, you can try several recipes, since everyone has different tastes and preferences. And everyone knows better which food is good for him and which is harmful.

Spicy korean carrot

To prepare a snack, you will need:

• 1 kg of fresh carrots;
• 2 tbsp. l. coriander seeds;
• 2 tsp mixture of peppers;
• 1 small onion;
• dried garlic;
• 5 tbsp. l. sunflower oil;
• 1 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 2 tsp paprika;
• 1 tsp vinegar;
• 1 tsp salt.

Cooking sequence:

1. Peel the vegetable, then, using a special grater-shredder, rub it with a long straw. Leave for half an hour in a sieve to remove excess juice.
2. Fold it into a wide bowl for easy mixing.
3. Add paprika.
4. The coriander kernels and the pepper mixture are ground in a mill.
5. The onion is peeled and chopped randomly.
6. Vegetable oil is poured into a frying pan and put on fire.
7. Sent to sauté chopped onion until soft.
8. The garlic cloves are peeled, squeezed through a press and lightly fried in a pan with onions.
9. With a slotted spoon, catch the onion and garlic from the pan and send a mixture of coriander, sesame seeds, salt and sugar into it.
10. Last but not least, add vinegar essence, stir and remove the pan from heat.
    Important! The use of vinegar essence makes the taste thinner, and also reduces the amount of water in the finished dish.
11. The hot, aromatic butter mixture is poured over the paprika and the carrots are stirred.
12. They give the finished snack to cool down and send it to the refrigerator for 4 - 5 hours.

Korean carrots with asparagus

For the recipe, you need to prepare the following products:

• 4 - 5 large root crops;
• a bag of dried asparagus;
• 1 tsp. black and red peppers;
• 2 tbsp. l. coriander beans;
• 1 tbsp. l. soy sauce;
• 1 small onion;
• 5 cloves of garlic or dry garlic mixture;
• half a glass of vegetable oil;
• 1 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 2 tsp vinegar;
• 1 tsp common salt.

Cooking sequence:

1. Warm water is poured into a cup, salt is added, soy asparagus is soaked for 1 - 1.5 hours. It is necessary to saturate the asparagus with water, restoring its elasticity. Do not soak it until soft.
2. Peel the carrots, grate them with a shredder to make a long flexible straw.
3. Fold it in a wide bowl for easy cooking. Sprinkle with sugar, sprinkle with vinegar essence, salt, stir with hands to form juice. Leave for half an hour.
   
4. Pour the coriander seeds into a coffee grinder and grind finely.
5. Peel the onion, cut it arbitrarily.
6. Garlic cloves are cleaned, squeezed out through a press.
7. Vegetable oil is poured into a frying pan and put on fire.
8. Begin to sauté the chopped onion until soft.
9. Garlic gruel, ground coriander and pre-chopped asparagus are added to the onion.
10. Add soy sauce to a frying pan, stir, fry for 5 minutes.
11. The carrot mixture is poured with the finished overcooking.
12. Stir the contents of the basin, cool slightly and put in the refrigerator for an hour or immediately serve on the table.

Korean carrots with mushrooms

Personal preferences in this dish are important. Choosing spices to your liking, taking into account their useful properties, you get many options for this appetizer: from spicy food to delicate salad.

For the recipe, you should stock up on:

• 2 medium root vegetables;
• 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
• 80 g of mushrooms - it is better to choose champignons;
• 1 onion;
• dried garlic;
• 1 tsp vinegar;
• a chilli pod;
• salt and sugar.

Cooking sequence:

1. Peel the carrots, rub on a special shredder to get a long soft straw, which is poured into a cup.
2. Then it is salted, mixed, rubbing slightly with your hands, and left for 10 - 15 minutes.
3. The resulting juice is drained.
4. Chili peppers are finely chopped with a knife.
5. Add pepper, sugar to the carrots, mix and set aside.
6. Peel the onion, chop finely.
   Important! Dried garlic, used by many housewives, retains its properties and flavor perfectly.
7. Champignons are cut into slices.
8. Vegetable oil is poured into a frying pan and set to warm up.
9. Fry onions, send mushrooms and garlic to it in a pan.
10. Fried mushrooms are put into straws.
11. The hot oil mixture is poured into the carrots through a sieve.
12. Sprinkle with vinegar, mix.
13. The salad is transferred to a bowl and served on the table.

Harm of Korean carrots and contraindications

In some cases, you can get harm from the famous Korean carrots. Often this is due to the excessive use of spicy salad, the addition of a large amount of spices to it, the properties of which will not be useful for everyone. This can lead to exacerbation of various diseases of the stomach, liver and kidneys. Therefore, people with a sick stomach and intestines have no benefit from such a product. Korean carrots are contraindicated for pregnant women. Its harm lies in the use for the preparation of hot spices that are harmful to the digestive tract. The harmfulness of Korean carrots during breastfeeding can occur due to the content of garlic in the dish, which can affect the taste of milk and even cause an allergic reaction in the child. Therefore, during this period, mothers are better off eating healthier foods that will definitely not harm the baby's health.

How many Korean carrots are stored

Almost all recipes for pickling a spicy snack contain vinegar essence, which acts as a preservative. Therefore, a ready-made dish can wait up to two weeks in the refrigerator for its "high point". However, it is better to use Korean carrots fresh.

Conclusion

Although the benefits and harms of Korean carrots to this day remain a subject of controversy, the piquant taste of the dish outweighs it. In order not to harm your own health, you need to know when to stop enjoying the snack.