Heirloom Recipes 05. Miyeok-guk by Jiho Yun
Sustenance
22 - 11 - 21
Traditionally consumed by women after giving birth, Miyeok-guk [Korean Seaweed Soup] is full of nutrients, such as calcium and iodine, that the Korean culture believe are integral for pregnant or nursing mothers, to purify blood, help to shrink the uterus and increase breast milk supply.
In Korea, Miyeok-guk is eaten for birthday breakfast, as a celebration of one’s mother. This sentimental dish was brought to our attention by our friend Jiho Yun, who has been nourishing herself with her family’s recipe for Miyeok-guk since the arrival of her daughter.
Ingredients
METHOD:
Soak 25g of dried seaweed in cold water for 30 minutes
Purge and wash clams thoroughly and take the meat out (you can use pre-de shelled clam meat or quickly blanch them in order to take the meat out easily).
Squeeze the wet seaweed and chop into desired size.
Put 3 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pot and stir fry the seaweed for 5 minutes over high heat. Cook well until the seaweed becomes curly and half dried.
Add clam meats stir fry another 2 minutes and 1.5 liters of water and bring it to a boil Simmer for another 10 min and add half a spoonful of soy sauce and fish sauce to season.
This seaweed soup is well balanced with plain sticky rice. Having it with a bowl of rice is recommended. Additional savoury dishes such as Kimchi, stir fried vegetables are also good to have together.
Sustenance
"There are many different heirloom recipes of the seaweed soup that are handed down to each generation. Some regions add beef and others use fish, clam etc; they are the ingredients that are abundant and famous in the regions. My family is based near the Southern Sea of Korea and clam seaweed soup is the most common version of it."
