Soups 
From Singapore Hotels & Singapore Lifestyle
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Soups of some form have been around since prehistoric man. Since that time, soups have become more sophisticated as man has learnt to combine whatever ingredients available in boiling water. In Singapore, it is difficult to trace the exact history of soup as the local cuisine is one that has been imported from the homelands or adapted from other ethnic groups. One thing is for certain though, almost all the local soups are clear, more like consommes.
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Chinese Soups
The Chinese (in particular, the Cantonese) are the ones which seem to corner the market in the area of soups as they have been part and parcel of life since their ancestors were still in China. This is mainly because the Chinese believe that it was unhealthy to drink water or beverages (especially if they are cold) during a meal. So the soup served as a substitute liquid that would help the food ease down the throat. But that is not their only purpose. Soups serve as a tonic, re-establishing the healthy balance of the body (known as the yin and yang). They also nourish the various organs of the body, make other dishes more flavourful or round off the taste of a meal.
In Singapore, this soup-drinking tradition has been diluted over the centuries especially since elaborate dinners were being replaced by one-dish meals. The Chinese still love their soups but the range is not as wide, nor will you find that many at the local food courts or hawker centres; at least not those that come without some form of noodle or rice inside.
Malay Soups
Peranakan Soups
Most of the Peranakan Cuisine that you find at food courts and hawker centres are one-dish meals and snacks. To fully appreciate the wide range of Peranakan Cuisine, visit a specialty restaurant. The soups in this ethnic cuisine are normally part of a meal which is usually eaten with steamed white rice.
