Miyeok-guk is traditionally consumed by Korean women after giving birth. Miyeok has a lot of calcium and iodine, nutrients that in the Korean culture are believed to be important for pregnant and/or nursing mothers. Seaweed is a good source of vitamin K, an essential vitamin, which is an important factor in blood-clotting.
Miyeok-guk is traditionally eaten for breakfast on birthdays, as a celebration of one's mother. As part of birthday celebrations, guests are served miyeok-guk along with rice cakes and other traditional foods. Miyeok-guk is also a typical dish the rest of the year and is a very common side dish served with rice.
Miyeok-guk ingredients typically include a mussel based broth, anchovy, beef, clams or oysters, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, onions, scallions, salt, roasted sesame seeds, and dried or pickled shrimps. To prepare miyeok-guk, dried miyeok is soaked in cold water until soft. It is then washed and boiled in an anchovy or mussel stock with shellfish or beef, and lastly seasoned with soy sauce, minced garlic and sesame oil..