Soups

These soups range from a light and delicious wonton soup to a rich and robust beef soup with chilli and tamarind. Like all Asian soups, they are really designed to be served with the main meal. In Asia, where there is not yet a well-developed wine-drinking culture, soups are mostly treated, along with tea, as a beverage to accompany other dishes. Of course, they can also be eaten as an entrée, and can make a satisfying meal on their own.

A delicate yet full-flavoured stock — or, in the case of the more robust soups, a balance of flavours between sweet, sour, hot and salty — is essential for these dishes to hit the heights of which they are capable. When finishing the soup, always check for seasoning. Sometimes, you may have to add a little extra. If the soup tastes a little strong in flavour, simply add a little water and then readjust the seasoning.