Seaweed Soup with Mussels


Miyuk-guk is usually made with beef, which I introduced a few years ago, but today, I decided to make it with mussels. Traditionally miyuk-guk is given to new mothers right after giving birth because it has a lot of iodine. Iodine is good for breastfeeding and is said to help clean the blood. Furthermore, this custom also ties into the tradition that miyuk-guk is served on birthdays as a birthday soup.

4-5 servings


Ingredients:


  • 1 ounce of dried miyuk (Korean seaweed) or 2 cups of soaked and drained miyuk 
  • 10-15 steamed mussels meat
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of sesame oil
  • 1/2 - 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
  • 6 cups of water
  • 1 tablespoon of Korean gukganjang (soup soy sauce) 
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of fish sauce (optional)
  • A dash of fresh black pepper
  • Salt to taste

Directions

  1. Soak about 20g of the dried miyuk in water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour until they are fully steeped. Cut the miyuk across about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm).
  2. In a large pot, sauté the miyeok with the sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes over medium high heat. Add water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to medium for 15 minutes. Add the mussels and cook for about another 5 minutes.
  3. Taste and season with gukganjang. You can additionally use fish sauce for more flavor. Add more salt if needed and add a pinch a black pepper.
  4. Serve with a bowl of rice.

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