Rich and Deep Beef Seaweed Soup
Rich and Deep Beef Seaweed Soup
Taste from the Postpartum Care Center! How to Make Authentic Beef Seaweed Soup
The seaweed soup served at postpartum care centers is wonderfully delicious, isn’t it? I felt like I could eat it for every meal, three times a day, and never get tired of it. While we can’t go back to the care center, we can bring back that amazing taste! After giving birth to my second child and staying at the care center, I made the seaweed soup that I enjoyed with my first child at home. This is a beef seaweed soup that the whole family can enjoy deliciously 🙂
Main Ingredients- 200g beef for soup (e.g., brisket, stew meat)
- 2 bowls rehydrated dried seaweed (about 200g)
- 2 liters water
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang)
- Salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 handful oyster mushrooms (optional)
Basic Broth Ingredients- 8 pieces dried kelp (about 10x10cm)
- 6 dried anchovies for broth
- 8 pieces dried kelp (about 10x10cm)
- 6 dried anchovies for broth
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s make the basic broth for a deep and rich flavor. In a pot, add 1 liter of water, dried kelp, and anchovies for broth. Gently simmer over low heat to extract a concentrated broth. Using too many anchovies can result in a fishy taste, so use them sparingly and add plenty of kelp for umami.
Step 2
For this recipe, I used brisket, which is a tender cut suitable for soup. Any cut of beef that is good for stewing or soup will work well.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the beef for soup and stir-fry until the surfaces are lightly browned. Once the beef is seared, add the rehydrated dried seaweed to the pot.
Step 4
Stir-fry the seaweed and beef together. When the seaweed is slightly stir-fried, pour in 1.5 liters of the prepared broth and 1 liter of water. You can add the remaining 1 liter of water later as the soup simmers down, or add it all at once if your pot has enough space. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently over low heat for at least 40 minutes. This process allows the flavors of the seaweed and beef to deeply infuse into the broth. (If using dried shiitake mushrooms, add them now and simmer.)
Step 5
Towards the end of the cooking time, add the oyster mushrooms and simmer for a little longer. The mushrooms will soften and add a pleasant chewy texture to the soup.
Step 6
Finally, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and let it simmer briefly to release its aroma. Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce for soup first, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt as needed until you achieve your desired flavor. Your delicious beef seaweed soup is now ready.
Step 7
And there you have it – a rich and deep beef seaweed soup that rivals the taste from the postpartum care center! It’s delicious as is, although adding perilla powder (deulkkae garu) would have added an extra layer of nutty flavor, but unfortunately, I ran out. Despite that small omission, it was still incredibly tasty. I’ll have to buy some more next time and make it again! Enjoy this wonderful soup that the whole family can savor.
