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Miyeok-guk is the soup Koreans eat on their birthdays: a gentle, savory broth of seaweed and beef simmered in sesame oil. It is quick to make, deeply nourishing and naturally low in carbs. One bowl explains why it has been a comfort food for generations.
Per serving: 151 calories · 1.3 g net carbs · 9 g protein · 12 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 1/2 ounce dried miyeok (wakame) seaweed
- 6 ounces beef brisket or sirloin thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons soup soy sauce or regular soy sauce
- 6 cups water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the seaweed in cold water for 15 minutes, until it expands and softens. Drain, squeeze out the water, and cut into bite-size pieces.
- Heat the sesame oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the beef and garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes until the beef is no longer pink.
- Add the seaweed and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes more.
- Add the water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the broth is cloudy and rich.
- Season with the remaining soy sauce and salt to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
About This Dish
Miyeok-guk is traditionally eaten by Korean mothers for weeks after giving birth, because seaweed is rich in iodine, iron and calcium. Because of that, Koreans eat it on their birthdays to honor their mothers. Many students avoid it before big exams, since slippery seaweed is jokingly said to make you "slip" and fail. An old Chinese encyclopedia from the Tang dynasty records that people in Korea noticed whales eating seaweed after giving birth, and began feeding it to new mothers. Even Koreans living abroad often make a pot on their birthday morning.
This recipe is from The Ultimate Korean Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 3: Soups & Stews (Gamcheon Culture Village). See all Korean recipes