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