Korean · Authentic-ish Korean
Miyeokguk
87 kcal a serving, against 102 for the traditional version. That is 15 kcal off, or 15%, with 11.7g of protein. Serves 4. 10 minutes prep, 30 minutes simmering.
What the traditional version is
Dried wakame seaweed is soaked, then sautéed with thinly sliced beef (usually brisket or skirt) and plenty of garlic in toasted sesame oil. Water goes in, everything simmers for half an hour, and it's finished with a splash of soy sauce or salt and maybe a spring onion, but that's it. Eat hot, ideally when you need fortifying.
What changed, and what each change costs
Sesame oil cut from 20g to 7g
I won't lie - sesame oil is the first thing your nose clocks in classic miyeokguk, and using less means some of that depth vanishes. But it's one of the easiest ways to clean up the soup's nutrition, and you still get a whiff of it.
What it costs you. You lose some lushness and that magical toasted smell that floats off the bowl. If you're making this for a birthday and want the real taste, use the full amount and accept the hit. For an everyday soup, this is fine.
Beef swapped for chicken breast, upped from 120g to 180g
Chicken breast is much leaner, and by using a bit more you don't lose out on protein. The flavour is lighter and not quite as rich, but it blends well with the seaweed.
What it costs you. The classic beef flavour fades into the background and there's a bit less body in the broth. If you're desperate for that proper beefy taste, use brisket and call it a day.
Wakame raised from 20g to 30g
With not as much fat or beef to carry the dish, a bit more wakame brings depth, minerals, and that sea-sweet hit to compensate.
What it costs you. You'll notice the seaweed is a bit bossier in the finished bowl, but it's hardly a bad thing. If you're not keen on seaweed, dial it back to 20g and lean on the spring onions.
Extra garlic added (from 18g to 24g)
With fewer big flavours from beef and oil, dialling up the garlic makes the base a bit more assertive. Garlic has no fans in the subtlety department, but sometimes that's exactly what a light soup needs.
What it costs you. Not everyone wants to reek of garlic for the rest of the day, but you're eating this on your birthday, not in a client meeting. If garlic isn't your thing, cut back to the classic amount.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 102 | 87 |
| Protein | 7.7g | 11.7g |
| Fat | 7.1g | 3.2g |
| Saturated fat | 1.5g | 0.5g |
| Carbohydrate | 2g | 2.5g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 7.6g | 13.5g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Korean prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, sesame, soybeans.
The method is in the book
The real thing is richer, with more beef and much more sesame, but you aren't missing out if you just want a restorative bowl of soup without a load of oil. The chicken version isn't classic, but it's not cheating either - there are grannies out there who use whatever protein's left in the fridge, and miyeokguk isn't a dish for big performances. If you're cooking this for someone whose birthday means the world, grab some brisket and don't be shy with the sesame oil. For everyone else, this is a green, clean, slightly garlicky broth that does the job and sees you right through a cold morning.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Korean, along with 51 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.