This nutritious Korean seaweed soup (Miyeok guk) recipe is very simple to make and is so perfect for pregnancy & postpartum.
Korean seaweed soup (miyeok guk or miyuk guk, 미역국) is a soup predominantly made with sea mustard also known as brown seaweed (undaria pinnatifida) or Japanese wakame.
The soup is also typically accompanied with some form of protein (e.g. beef, seafood) along with light seasoning (salt, soy sauce, garlic and roasted sesame oil).
I personally like the soup made with beef more than any others as I think nothing produces umami rich deep flavor like beef does. With all these goodies, the soup tastes delicious and is very nutritious and nourishing.
Korean Birthday Soup
Korean seaweed soup is also known as birthday soup, as many Koreans eat this soup on their birthday. (However, people eat this on normal days just as often as well.)
So, why do people have it on a birthday?
In Korea, seaweed soup is often served for a woman who just had a baby, because the nutrients that are contained in the seaweed are known to help with the recovery and also producing breast milk.
Wakame Benefits
Wakame has a very high nutrient content. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals, such as folate, vitamin B2 and manganese. It has been used for centuries for its therapeutic and healing properties, with the power to support cardiovascular health, boost energy levels and supply the body with omega-3 fatty acids. Like other seaweed nutrition, wakame nutrition is quite impressive.
Ingredients
15g Wakame Seaweed (rehydrate, rinse & drain)
200-400g Choice of Beef Strips / Mince/ Chicken / Seafood
4 cups beef or chicken stock (5 cups if not using 1 cup of bone broth)
1 cup of homemade bone broth or 1 tbs of Nutra Organics Beef Bone Broth
1.5 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp garlic
1 tbs sesame oil
2 slices of ginger (this is optional as its not traditionally in this soup but I love ginger in everything!)
Topping
Sesame oil
Toasted black sesame seeds
Spring onion
Method
Soak the dried seaweed in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes allowing it to expand. Drain the water away and rinse the seaweed a couple of times in running water. Drain/squeeze the water out. (If you’re using non pre-cut dried seaweed, cut it with scissors – about little finger lengths). Set it aside.
Preheat a medium pot over medium heat. Add the sesame oil beef (and ginger if using). Stir them well until the beef is partly cooked (about 2 mins). Add the soy sauce, garlic, stock, bone broth and seaweed. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Serve as is or with rice noodles, topped with spring onion, toasted black sesame seeds and sesame oil.
Enjoy!
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