Miyeok Guk

Miyeok Guk is a Korean seaweed soup that is rooted in tradition and comfort. Many people consider this dish humble; however, it is loved and celebrated across generations. This soup has a briny aroma with tender strands of miyeok, which is also called sea mustard.

This soup originated back in Korea’s Goryeo Dynasty, where seaweed was and still is revered for its medicinal properties. Nowadays, many Korean mothers turn to this soup for their recovery during their postpartum care. The seaweed is rich in nutrients such as iodine, calcium, and iron, which are believed to replenish the body.

In this day and age, ‘miyeok-guk‘ is famously known as birthday soup. Many Koreans eat this soup in remembrance of the mother who gave birth to them. This dish is considered a quiet gratitude, representing the reconnection to the beginning of one’s life.

Ingredients

Dried seaweed, Beef cubes, Fish sauce, Soy sauce, Sesame seed oil, Oyster sauce, Garlic cloves, Onion, Ginger-Garlic paste.

Miyeok is a type of brown seaweed, which is also called ‘sea mustard’. It is rich in many trace elements as well as macronutrients such as iodine, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids. It is usually sold dried, then soaked until it expands and turns into a rich green hue. You can purchase the brown seaweed at any supermarket or online. The broth serves as the heart of the soup, and it includes the infusion of beef, onion, garlic, fish sauce, and soy sauce.

Instructions

Thinly slice the meat: The beef cubes used in this recipe were sliced into thin pieces. Beef cubes themselves are tough meat and require a long period of cooking; however, cutting them into thin pieces helps to reduce the cooking time and also makes the meat soft. Instead of using the beef cubes, consider other lean, tender, and flavourful cuts of beef, such as brisket, stroganoff, chuck, or shank.

Avoid using fatty parts of meat, such as ribeye, which can overpower the seaweed flavour, ground beef, which is not ideal for the soup, or short ribs, which are too rich for the light seaweed soup.

Soak the dried seaweed in water: Prepare a large bowl, add the dried seaweed, and then add two cups of water. The seaweed used for this recipe is precut, which reduces the preparation time. Soak the seaweed for five to eight minutes. You may wonder if the amount of seaweed is too little. However, once the water is added to the dried seaweed, it begins to absorb water, doubling in size. As it cooks in the broth, it continues to absorb water, eventually tripling its initial size. 

Prepare the aromatics: Slice the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Instead of using the garlic cloves, the ginger and garlic paste can also be used, which adds another dimension of flavour. 

Sauté the aromatics: Drizzle the cooking oil on a preheated pot on medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté for two minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent. 

Cook the beef: When the aromatics are done, add the thinly sliced beef to the pot and stir to mix. Cook the meat for three minutes while stirring continuously.

Add the sauces and seaweed: Add fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame seed oil, and stir to mix. Then, add the seaweed and stir to mix all the ingredients. Continue to stir all the ingredients for one minute so the ingredients absorb the flavour of the sauces. 

Simmer the miyeok guk: Add one liter of water and simmer for twenty minutes with the lid closed. The temperature will remain on medium-low heat. Serve the soup while it’s hot with fluffy rice and sides like kimchi and Korean egg rolls.

That is it. The Miyeok-Guk is ready to enjoy. This soup is renowned for its hearty and warm flavours that will elevate your weekly roster of meals. It is incredibly easy to make and takes a short amount of time to cook. Most Koreans enjoy Miyeok-guk as a breakfast meal or a quick afternoon soup along with rice and Korean banchans.

What to Serve Miyeok Guk (Korean Seaweed soup) with?

Traditionally, miyeok guk is served with Korean dishes such as steamed rice (bap), kimchi, seasoned spinach (sigeumchi namul), Korean egg rolls (gyeran mari), pan-fried zucchini (hobak jeon), soy marinated tofu (dubu jorim), stir-fried anchovies (myeolchi bokkeum), braised potatoes (gamja jorim). Miyeok guk also pairs well with main dishes like grilled mackerel or bulgogi. 

How to Store and Reheat Miyeok Guk (Korean Seaweed soup)?

Storing miyeok guk is straightforward; you can even leave the soup in the pot, with the lid closed, and store it in the fridge. Of course, the number one rule is that the pot filled with soup must be cooled down to room temperature before storing it in the refrigerator. If you’re short on fridge space, you can transfer the soup to an airtight container for storage. Moreover, the seaweed soup can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. 

Freezing the miyeok guk is not recommended because the texture of the seaweed can disintegrate and lose its texture during the freezing process. Reheating miyeok is super easy; you can use either the stovetop or microwave. Using the microwave to reheat one serving is quick and convenient; however, use the stovetop to reheat the whole pot, just until the boiling point, if you do this process every other day, it will ensure that the soup remains fresh.