Alternative names Seaweed soup Main ingredients Wakame Main ingredient Wakame | Type Guk Place of origin Korea | |
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Similar Guk, Gim, Wakame, Japchae, Jorim | ||
cc miyeok guk seaweed soup with beef korean soup honeykki
Miyeok-guk (미역국) or seaweed soup is a Korean cuisine Korean soup made from miyeok, a sea vegetable. Miyeok guk is most commonly made from a mussel based broth, but anchovy, beef, clam or oyster can also be used to make the broth. Korean soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sometimes onions, scallions, salt, roasted sesame seeds, and dried or pickled shrimp are flavorings that can be used in miyeok guk and it is not too spicy.
Miyeok-guk is consumed by Korean women after giving birth. In Korean culture, miyeok is widely believed to contain a high content of calcium and iodine, nutrients that are important for nursing mothers. Many women also eat miyeok-guk during pregnancy. Miyeok-guk is eaten on birthdays, typically for breakfast. As a traditional birthday party meal, guests are typically served miyeok-guk along with rice cakes and other celebratory foods. Koreans eat miyeok-guk on their birthdays in order to remember their mothers as a way of appreciation for providing nutrition to their child. Miyeok-guk is also eaten during the rest of the year. It is a very common side soup served with rice at home or and in restaurants.
To prepare miyeok-guk, dried miyeok is soaked in cold water until soft. It is then washed then boiled in an anchovy stock with shellfish or beef, and lastly seasoned with soy sauce, minced garlic and sesame oil.