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Miyeok guk with beef
Seaweed soup with beef
미역국: silky seaweed soup with beef brisket, the Korean birthday soup
Ask someone in Korea what they ate on their birthday morning and the answer is usually miyeok guk. The same soup is given to new mothers for weeks after a birth, as the seaweed is rich in iodine, calcium and iron. Some students avoid it on exam days, because slippery seaweed is said to make you 'slip' in the test. The broth is clear and mild, made with brisket fried in sesame oil and seasoned with soup soy sauce. Chef's tip: squeeze the soaked seaweed hard and fry it with the beef for a few minutes; it gives the broth a rounder, nutty taste.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the soup
- 7 oz beef brisketcut into thin, bite-size slices
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 6 ¼ cups water
- ½ tsp saltto taste
- 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Cover ½ oz dried miyeok (wakame seaweed) with plenty of cold water and soak for 10 minutes, until soft and swollen. Common mistake: soaking a big handful. Dried seaweed grows about ten times in size, and 15 g is plenty for four bowls.
10 minStep 2: Rinse the seaweed two or three times, squeeze out as much water as you can, and cut it into 4 to 5 cm pieces.
Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add 7 oz beef brisket and fry for 2 minutes, until the meat is no longer red on the outside.
2 minStep 4: Add the seaweed, 2 cloves garlic and half the 1 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until the seaweed turns bright green and smells nutty.
2 minStep 5: Pour in 6 ¼ cups water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Skim off any grey foam.
4 minStep 6: Lower to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 minutes, until the beef is tender and the broth is pale and cloudy.
12 minStep 7: Season with the rest of the 1 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang), then ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp fish sauce to taste. Serve hot with rice and kimchi.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does miyeok guk with beef take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of toasted sesame oil?
- Toasted sesame seeds ground with a little vegetable oil.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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