Makes about 1 ½ cups

Boon Tat Lemon Soy Sauce

Boon Tat Street runs through the center of the Singapore Financial District where at 7 pm every evening it magically transforms into a fabulous Street Food Market. The streets are closed to vehicle traffic, tables and chairs are brought out into the street and about 10 vendors set up and begin serving the most incredible culinary delights. The scene becomes chaotic as servers greet the prospective diners with the urgings to sit at their tables and dine from their stalls.

A particularly server named Dishi convinced me to sit at his table by a quiet smile and graciously wiping down a chair close to a food stall.  Having arrived at the market following a particularly stressful day of meetings, his soft manner amidst the chaos was a welcome relief.  I returned to this Street Food Market numerous times during my visits and always sought out Dishi.  Through the years, he introduced me to dishes not only from the stall he represented but from other servers.

It was here I enjoyed this lemon sauce for the first time. Accustomed to sweeter sauces, this somewhat tart sauce was a surprise, but it offers an excellent balance to spicy meat skewers.

Easily prepared, the beef broth provides a savory base against the brightness of the lemon juice. There is no need to cook the sauce. Simply heating the broth and juice in the microwave prior to mixing with the cornstarch mix results in a fabulous finished sauce to serve with meats or vegetables.

¾ c beef broth
¼ c fresh lemon juice
¼ c water
½ T Worcestershire sauce
1 t soy sauce
1 ½ t cornstarch
1 t lemon zest

Flavor Tier 1

In a 2 cup glass measuring cup combine the broth and juice. Place in the microwave and heat for 2 minutes using the High setting. While the broth and juice are heating, in a small bowl, combine the water, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and cornstarch. Whisk vigorously to combine.

Flavor Tier 2

Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the broth mix, whisking vigorously to avoid any lumps. Continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes until sauce has thickened.

To Serve

Pour sauce into a small bowl, add lemon zest and keep warm. Sauce may be prepared in advance and reheated in the microwave prior to serving.