SOULFUL SOUPS

The age-old remedy for your ills

Defence against cholesterol

What makes Xin Cuisine’s Double-boiled Superior Fish Maw with Bamboo Pith in Bone Broth ($55) stand out is the addition of tian shan xue lian (snow lotus seeds). Harvested from cold climates, such as the Himalayans, these translucent marbles are coveted for their ability to normalise blood pressure as well as reduce the formation of fat cells and cholesterol. Executive Chinese chef Chan Shun Wong enhances the flavourless ingredient with a rich combination of pork bones, shoulder hock and fish maw. Holiday Inn Atrium, 317 Outram Road. Tel: 6731 7173

Beat the summer heat

Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant’s Doubleboiled Whole Yellow Melon Soup with Mixed Seafood ($22) has the perfect formula to keep your body cool. Served in a small melon, the soup is brimming with fresh and premium ingredients like crab meat, duck meat, mushroom and bamboo fungus, which are boiled for three hours to bring out the sweet flavours. The melon helps to dispel the heat, humidity, while the bamboo fungus reduces ‘bad’ cholesterol. Level 2, Carlton Hotel Singapore, 76 Bras Basah Road.

Tel: 6311 8188

A pep in your step

as an all-cure in Chinese medicine, cordyceps is a fungus harvested off caterpillars in the mountainous regions of China. Despite its rather unappetising origins and bitter after taste, it is commonly consumed for its energising qualities. In Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant’s Double-boiled Cordyceps Flower Consommé with Lobster & Egg White ($32), however, the sweet, succulent flesh of lobster and broth negates the bitter profile, giving each spoonful a distinctive burst of umami. Level 2, Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel, 320 Orchard Road. Tel: 6831 4605.

An all-rounder

Pulled too many late nights? Golden Peony’s Doubleboiled Cordyceps Flower Soup with Black Chicken and Honey Locust in Young Coconut ($28) will help with the recovery. While it may seem like a straightforward combination of nutritious ingredients, the soup is executed according to yin-and-yang dining principles to improve bone health, reduce fatigue and aid in heat relief. Best of all, it incudes honey locust, a herb known for its defense against the common cold. Level 3, Conrad Centennial Singapore, 2 Temasek Boulevard. Tel: 6432 7482

Super health boost

Newly minted one Michelinstarred Jiang-nan Chun isn't just known for its tableside Peking Duck, its range of soups is also slurp-worthy. Try the signature double-boiled Pork Ribs Soup with Sea Whelk, Maka and Dried Scallops ($38) – with a cook time of 16 hours. The star ingredient is maka, also known as the Peruvian Ginseng – an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Level 2, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, 190 Orchard Boulevard. Tel: 6831 7220.

Put your best face forward

If the panoramic view of the South China Sea from Capella Singapore isn’t soul-soothing enough for you, you can head to Cassia for executive chef Lee Hiu Ngai’s Double-boiled Thick Chicken Broth with Fish Maw, Duo of Scallops and Flower Mushroom ($33). Lee selects each ingredient for its high protein content and marries them in a luscious, collagen-rich broth. The centrepiece is the fish maw (dried swim bladder) that has, over eight hours, sopped up the robust chicken broth and dried scallops. Capella Singapore, 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island. Tel: 6591 5045