MiYeok Guk is a popular Korean soup. Korean people eat this soup not only during normal days, but also for special days like birthdays, weaning days, etc. Seaweed has good nutrition in it. (“In Oriental medicine, seaweed has been used for blood purification, intestinal strength, skin, hair, reproductive organs and menstrual regularity” from Wikipedia). So, it is common practice that Korean moms eat seaweed soup for many days after they birth their babies because Koreans believe that this seaweed soup gives nutrition to both mom and baby (the baby gets milk from mom). Maybe, that’s part of the reason why Korean people eat seaweed soup on their birthday, but then again, maybe not.

There is a funny superstition that some people consider seriously about seaweed soup: The fresh or soaked seaweed has a slippery surface. One Korean word for slippery is “미끄러지다,” which can imply that somebody will fall down. Some people try to not to eat seaweed soup near an important testing day because they don’t want to get bad luck from eating it – as to fall down, drop, or fail the test. I personally don’t believe it, but just wanted to share this humorous culture with you. Today, I posted a beef version of seaweed soup, but depending on your taste, you can use tuna can, clam, mushroom, or make it without any other meat. When I have chance, I will post different kinds of seaweed soup later.

Video coming soon…

Short Korean Lesson: *^^*

• MiYeouk (미역) = Seaweed

Main Ingredients:

• ½ Cup Dried Seaweed (1 Cup Soaked or Fresh Seaweed)
• ⅓ Cup Beef
• 2½ Cups Water

Meat Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Soup Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Cooking Wine
• 1 Pinch Black Pepper

Seasoning Ingredients:

• 1 Tsp Minced Garlic
• ⅛ Tsp Salt
• ½ Tbsp Sesame Oil

Yield: About 2 Servings

Soak ½ cup of dried seaweed to make 1 cup of soaked seaweed for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, the seaweed will look like this.

Cut the soaked seaweed into bite sized pieces.

In a pan, fry ⅓ cup of chopped beef. Add 1 Tbsp of soup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp of cooking wine, and 1 pinch of black pepper.

Fry it until the beef is almost cooked on medium high.

Add the seaweed and ½ Tbsp of sesame oil.

Fry it for about 5 minutes on high until the beef is completely cooked.

Pour 2½ cups of water in the pan.

Once it starts to boil, add ½ Tbsp of minced garlic.

Add ⅛ tsp of salt.

Boil the soup for about 15 minutes on medium high. Taste it, and you can adjust the taste with salt or soup soy sauce. I usually use soup soy sauce rather than salt.

Try this healthy and delicious Korean seaweed soup someday. How about on your birthday? Thank you!!!