Seaweed Soup

miyuk gook

I haven't been feeling well lately, and so I i turned to a Korean comfort food that always seemed to help me recover from the common cold.
Not only is it proven to strengthen your nails and hair, but also it cleanses your bloodstream.
In Korea, it is traditionally made for you on your birthday, only if you're lucky to have someone make it for you ;)

Seaweed soup may not sound the most appetizing, but it has a great, hearty flavor and is super easy to make with the right ingredients!
So easy, that I was able to teach my boyfriend how to make it hoping that he'd make it for me on my birthday and when I wasn't feeling well :)
The problem was not the taste of the soup he made, but was getting him to make it in the first place...har har

soooo with that in mind, enjoy the simple recipe from my mother's kitchen!


INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
salt

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
1 cup of dried seaweed cut to 2 inch strands
1/2 cup dried shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup frozen mussels
1/4 cup ground beef

INSTRUCTIONS
Start by soaking the dried seaweed and dried shitake mushrooms in water (using separate bowls) until they are soft and fully expanded.
Squeeze the water from the seaweed and mushrooms while preserving the excess water (saving it for the broth) and put into a medium sized pot.
Sautee together adding the ground beef, sesame oil, soysauce, and garlic for about 2 minutes.
Pour the saved excess water and add more to fill to the top of the pot. Add in frozen mussels.
Boil for about 30 minutes adding salt/soysauce to taste.