Soups & Stews
Miyeok-guk (Seaweed Soup)
Sauteing the soaked seaweed with the beef in sesame oil makes the broth nutty and rich. Add water and simmer over medium-low heat for more than 20 minutes for a milky broth, and season with soup soy sauce in two stages.
한국어로 보기 (Korean version)
Steps
- 1
Soak the dried seaweed in cold water for 20 minutes, then scrub it firmly between your hands and rinse two or three times. Squeeze out the water and cut it into easy-to-eat pieces.
Seaweed swells to nearly ten times its size, so 10 g is plenty for 2 servings.
- 2
Press the beef with paper towels to blot off the blood and cut it into bite-size pieces.
Slice against the grain so it doesn't get tough during the long simmer.
- 3
Heat the sesame oil in a pot and saute the beef over medium heat for 3 minutes. Once the outside is no longer red, add the seaweed and 1 Tbsp of the soup soy sauce and saute 2 more minutes.
- 4
Pour in the 1 liter of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises.
The longer it simmers, the milkier and richer the broth gets. If it reduces, add water 100 ml at a time.
- 5
Add the garlic and the rest of the soup soy sauce, simmer 5 more minutes, then season with salt.
Substitutions
| Instead of | Use | How |
|---|---|---|
| beef brisket | 100 g shelled mussels | Purge the mussels and add them after pouring in the water; simmer for just 10 minutes. Don't use them if you have a shellfish allergy. |
| toasted sesame oil | 1 Tbsp perilla oil | Perilla oil has a strong aroma, so lower the heat slightly when sauteing. |
Storing leftovers
Seaweed holds together well even when reboiled, so this soup reheats nicely. Cool it, store airtight in the fridge, and eat within 3 days; bring it to a full boil once when reheating, adding water if it has reduced. Frozen in single-meal portions, use within 2 weeks.
Serve with
Rice, kimchi, and gyeran-mari (rolled omelet) or japchae. For a birthday table, add one more salty side such as godeungeo-jorim (braised mackerel).
Making more or less
When making more, plan on 5 g of dried seaweed per serving, and add the soup soy sauce at the end as you taste.
Before you cook
- Saute the beef until the outside is no longer red, then add the water and simmer thoroughly.
Questions
Why is my seaweed soup slimy and cloudy?
If you don't scrub and rinse the soaked seaweed firmly, the sticky coating on its surface dissolves into the broth and makes it slimy. Rinse it in two or three changes of water, and soak it for only 20 to 30 minutes, since over-soaking makes it limp.
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