(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 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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Anonymous,
Don’t worry much about it. Dried miyeok never goes bad if you seal it airtightly.
Q1. After Opening The Pack of Miyeok For How Many Days I can Store It..?
Mei Leng,
Thank you very much! Of course the information will be big help!
Hi Maangchi,
I have left the address and directions to get to Korea Town in the forum, hopefully it will be helpful. The ahjushi and ahjuma in the grocery stores were nice and helpful. I just tell them the ingredients in Korean (e.g. doenjang, miyuk, dduk, etc) and they will get them for me. They were happy to know that I was trying to cook Korean dishes!:)
Mei Leng,
you made beautiful miyukguk (sea plant soup)! The color of miyuk looks very green!
By the way, if you can, please leave the address of the Korean grocery store in Kuala Lumpur here.
https://www.maangchi.com/talk/topic/where-do-you-buy-your-korean-ingredients/page/2
Hi Maangchi, it’s been quite a while since I wrote a comment here. Just wanted to let you know that I went to Koreatown Ampang, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and bought lots of Korean food ingredients from the Korean grocery store! :) I made Miyuk Guk; it was very comforting especially when you’re having a cold: http://www.meilengloh.com/?p=403
Martha,
Why don’t you use salt instead of soy sauce?
Hi Maangchi,
Can you do miyuk muchim that do not use soy sauce as the dressing? I tasted some in the Korean Restaurant here as ban chan but it is sort of sweet(seems like clear dressing). I searched the internet but found none that use clear dressing. It would be good if you know as I like the refreshing and slightly sweet taste but don’t know how to make it.
Thanks.
regards,
Martha from Hoju.
Dominique,
Yes, you can use chicken or anchovy stock instead of beef. If you like milky color soup, do this way.
In a heated pot, put 1 tbs sesame oil and then put soaked and chopped miyeok(sea plant) and saute for a few minutes, then pour water into the pot. You will see the color of soup will change to milky color. (you can use washed rice water, too)
I like clear soup, so I don’t use the method.
Hi Maanchi,
Thankyou for your delicious receipe! I’ve made seaweed soup so many time but this was the first time it turned out so well! (My sister in law also gave me a tip to use washed rice water to make the soup appear milky).
Just a few questions –
– Is it possible to use chicken instead of beef?
– CanI use anchovy stock?
Thankyou so much!
Confused student,
hi, clams, mussels, or oysters are all tasty for miyukguk (seaplant soup). Don’t forget to soak the clams in salty water for an hour and rinse them before putting in the boiling soup. The reason for soaking them in salty water is to let them spit up some grit.
Dear Maangchi,
I’ve made beef miyukgook many times but am a little confused as to making clam miyukgook. Any tips?
thanks maangchi! ur the best!
Hi, Anonymous,
Yes, you can use the frozen seaplant. Soak it in cold water and use it just like dried sea plants.