Miyeok Guk (Korean Seaweed Soup with Dried Mussels)

Miyeok (aka wakame) is a staple soup for Korean.  It's also known as the birthday soup where people usually eat it during their breakfast on their birthday.  Miyeok guk is also  most often eaten by women after their postpartum or during confinement.  It's said that it helps blood circulation and also boost milk supply.  (I drink this soup during my confinement days too).  It's known as one of the healthiest soup in Korean cuisine and is famous for it's amazing health benefits.  It's rich in calcium and iodine.  Although it's known as birthday soup, Korean also eat this soup on common days :)

 

The most common and traditional way of making this soup is by using beef but in southern part of Korea, people make miyeok guk with seafood like clams. mussels, oysters, sea urchin, abalone and etc.  I usually make it with seafood too as I do not eat beef.  Today, I am going to cook miyeok guk with dried mussels, it taste as good!

 

 



Serving size: 2 person

Ingredients:

Dried Miyeok (cut seaweed/wakame) *I use pre-cut dried miyuk   2 tbsp

Dried mussels                                                                                   8-10 piece

Dried anchovy                                                                                  8 piece

Garlic (minced)                                                                                1 tsp

Sesame oil                                                                                        1 tbsp

Soy sauce                                                                                         1 tbsp

Water                                                                                               1 liter

 

Step by step photos:

 

 

 

 

1. Soak dried seaweed in water for about 10 - 15 minutes.  Rinse with water and drain.  Set aside.  Wash the dried mussels and set aside.
2. Prepare broth with anchovies in 1 liter of water boiled over medium heat for at least 30 minutes with lid close.
3. Prepare another pot and put 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Add in the seaweed and dried mussels, saute for 3 minute on high heat.
4. Add in the anchovy broth, and minced garlic.  Boil over medium low heat for another 30 minutes with lid on.
5. Add in soy sauce and boil for anothe 10 minutes on low heat.
6. Taste to season.  Add more soy sauce if it's too bland.  You can drizzle some sesame oil after off the fire.  Serve with rice and some banchan~ Scrumptious and healthy soup to warm up your stomach! ^^