Food is life for this meal-obsessed island, especially when you're feeling poorly – including a spicy soup that soothes flu symptoms and a beloved chocolate drink that brings comfort.

A few years ago, my girlfriend and I landed in Singapore after a winter holiday in Europe. Coughing, dizzy, our throats rusty and inflamed, we were far from well. But help was at hand. My (future) Singaporean mother-in-law came to the rescue, stocking our fridge with liquid medicine: congee. We spooned the thick, savoury rice porridge down our throats, feeling a little better with every swallow.

Warm and filling but gentle on the stomach, in good times congee is a power dinner in and of itself, and endlessly remixable. You can top it with a runny egg, chopped chives and coriander or neon splashes of garlic-chilli oil, and eat like a king. Or when sick, you can cut the tempting add-ons to a bare minimum and still be left with the soothing starch and heat. No wonder congee and its cousins are a key flu go-to in Singapore, Malaysia, China, South Korea – almost any place in East Asia where rice is a staple.

So strong is this porridge's connection to illness that some people can only stomach it when they're under the weather. Like Yuri Cath, a Japanese Indonesian who recently became a Singaporean citizen. "I had a negative association with congee for the longest time because I only had it when I was sick," she says, echoing a sentiment of many locals. "So, having it kind of made me feel ill." Not for long though, she laughs – the flavours won her over again, "and I love congee now".

It's tempting to call congee the king of flu food, but this is Singapore, one of the most culinary-obsessed nations on Earth, and competition is fierce. A literal melting pot, the island's official languages are English, Tamil, Malay and Mandarin, representing the many cultures that form its core population. Each brings with it enough comfort dishes to soothe an army.

Where to eat yourself well in Singapore

Congee: Variety is the name of the game at Mui Kee Congee, where your porridge can come loaded with sliced pork, beef, fish balls or abalone, to name just a few options.

Rasam: Banana Leaf Apolo boasts several locations, including one in the heart of Singapore's Little India. Their menu is extensive, but leave room for this stomach-settling dish.

Tamarind: Looking for a food souvenir? Visit DriedFoodSG, a multi-generation business brimming with dried goods, including tamarind paste or slices, which can be added to stews for an unmistakable flavour boost.

Bak kut teh: Multiple businesses fight for the claim of best bak kut teh on bustling Balestier Road, including Kai Juan Eating House and the aptly named Balestier Bak Kut Teh. The latter is open 24 hours a day.

Milo: Head to Toast Box, a local cafe chain with more than 80 outlets famed as a popular pre-work breakfast spot. Order Milo hot or cold with kaya toast (bread with sweet coconut spread) on the side. A sugary but comforting pick-me-up.

Hippocrates would have liked this nation of six million hungry souls. The Ancient Greek thinker and physician, who once said, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food," could witness his words come alive as a daily habit in Singapore's restaurants, homes and 120

© BBC