(The other recipe in this video is miyeok-muchim – seaplant salad)
Miyeokguk is made of edible seaweed and is traditionally eaten on birthdays or after giving birth, although you can eat anytime you like. Miyeok is rich in iodine and calcium and many people eat it to lower their cholesterol. The version of the soup is made with beef.
Whenever I meet my mother, she recommends I eat more miyeok and shows me how much she enjoys it by making all kinds of soups and salads with it. She also makes a miyeok wrap with rice and sauce and pops it into her mouth. We all believe it’s good, healthy food.
I used to have a stereotype about people from another culture that they wouldn’t like miyeokguk. When I lived in Korea, I had a friend name Jeanne, an American nun who had been living in Korea for more than 35 years. She always told me how she loved Korea and how it was her adopted hometown! She loved all kinds of Korean traditional food. Of course she could speak Korean just like a Korean.
She said: “There’s one Korean food that I don’t like.”
I asked: “What is it?”
She said: “Miyeokguk.”
I couldn’t help laughing because I expected some kind of weird korean food, not miyeokguk. I was curious about why she didn’t like it. She answered: “It’s slippery in my mouth, ooh, I don’t like the texture.” I laughed again when I heard this.
I hope she’s doing well now. She must be living in somewhere in Chicago. I used to tease her: “Miss Jeanne, would you sit over here?” when we met at the coffee shop. I always wanted her to sit next to me!
Ingredients (for 4-6 servings)
Directions
- Soak 1 cup of dried miyeok in a big bowl for at least 30 minutes. Drain and cut into bite sized pieces.
- Put the soaked miyeok (about 4 cups’ worth) into a big pot and add 16 cups of water. Boil over high heat for 20 minutes. Add more water if the soup gets too thick.
- Cut the beef brisket into bite size pieces. Add the beef and garlic to the pot and boil for another 20 to 25 minutes over medium heat.
- Add the fish sauce and drizzle a few drops of toasted sesame oil on top before serving.
- Serve with rice, if you have it. Put a few spoonfuls of rice (or the whole bowl) into the soup and eat.
Miyeokguk (beef is replaced with mussels)
Posted on Sunday, December 16th, 2007 at 10:47 pm.
Last updated on August 7, 2017.
Tagged: 미역, korean food, Korean recipes, korean seaweed dish, miyukguk, seaplant
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Maangchi I’ve fallen in love with Miyeokguk since moving to Korea! Is it usually served with anything in particular? Or just rice and side dish? Thank you!
Made it with chicken brest meat and eat along with bibimbap tonight. Sooo completing each other. Just like the other inexperienced did, never imagined that only a sheet of dried miyeok (it’s sold in sheet shape in my country) is going to make my wok full
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Made your seaweed soup recipe and it’s delicious. Over time I skip the beef and seasame oil. I add sliced dycon radish and seaweed to boil. After making a big batch I store it. When I warm it up I put in sliced okra. Then before I eat it I add some cold kimchi. So decious. The okra and seaweed go really well together.
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I guess I can now call it Korean seaweed gumbo soup. Lol
Made this with some dakgalbi for my own birthday.
The neighbors said they love the taste even if it’s my very first time attempting both dishes.
Was not expecting the smallest pack of miyeok to expand a lot, so it made the pot crowded. :)
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HI Maangchi!
I made this today and it didn’t turn out as I expected. It was way too watery with no flavor. I followed the recipe in your book before with good results but I have it packed away since I just moved. So i looked up this recipe on your site. Do you call for 16 cups of water in your book? I think that’s what the problem was.
I just don’t remember putting in so much water!
Thanks!
Made it with chicken brest meat and eat along with bibimbap tonight. Sooo completing each other. Just like the other inexperienced did, never imagined that only a sheet of dried miyeok (it’s sold in sheet shape in my country) is going to make my wok full
See full size image
I use wood ear mushrooms instead of meat and make the dashi with vegetable stock, doenjang, and gochujang – no fish sauce – I use 2 extra kelp pieces, as well. I have this for breakfast nearly every day, topped with two fried eggs, and one spoonful of purple rice. I’ll often throw in other vegetables if I have them – julienne or chopped small.
Sooo healthy!
My first time to cook seaweed soup… I used pork since I do not have any beef available. I can say i like it and my family likes it…. Yummy.. thanks for your recipe…. I will try the one with mussells next time.
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I never add pork to miyeokguk but yours looks milky and delicious. Maybe someday I should try it out.