Miyeok guk

Miyeok-guk (also rendered as miyuk guk) or seaweed soup is a non-spicy Korean soup whose main ingredient is miyeok, or seaweed. It is traditionally eaten as a birthday breakfast in honor of one's mother and by women who have given birth for several months postpartum. Miyeok-guk is rare among Korean soups in that it has no spicy ingredients. The main ingredient is miyeok, also known as sea mustard. It is typically prepared from dried product, and is in appearance brown tangled strands. To prepare, the seaweed is rehydrated, drained, chopped, sauteed with garlic and sesame oil, then simmered in beef or fish stock. Women traditionally eat the soup for several months after giving birth. The practice of eating seaweed soup after giving birth is believed to date to the Goguryeo period and started because people noticed whales eating seaweed after giving birth. Traditionally the soup symbolizes and honors Samsin Halmoni, a goddess who helps women through pregnancy and childbirth. People consuming the soup on their birthdays are honoring their mothers for giving birth to them.

Source: Wikipedia