Miyeok Guk

Ingredients

• 30g dried miyeok (sea mustard), a large handful
• 200g beef brisket or chuck, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)
• 1 tbsp regular soy sauce
• 1.4 litres water
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Before you cook

• Soak the dried miyeok in a large bowl of cold water for 20 minutes until it swells to several times its size
• Drain the miyeok, squeeze it dry, and cut it into 5cm lengths with scissors
• Slice the beef thinly across the grain
• Mince the garlic

Steps

1. Heat the sesame oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Add the beef and stir it for 3 minutes until it is no longer pink.
3. Add the drained miyeok and the minced garlic, and stir-fry for 5 minutes so the seaweed glosses over with oil and smells nutty.
4. Pour in the soup soy sauce and the regular soy sauce, and stir for 1 minute.
5. Add the water and turn the heat to high.
6. Bring the pot to a boil, then skim off any grey foam that rises.
7. Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 25 minutes.
8. Taste the broth; it should be milky and mellow rather than sharp, so simmer 10 minutes longer if it still tastes thin.
9. Season with salt and white pepper.
10. Ladle the soup into deep bowls and serve with rice and kimchi.