When I was growing up, I remember being fascinated by this small red fruit that is both tart and sweet. It’s a not a regular at home as bananas or mangoes. When I ask my parents to buy me strawberries, I remember them telling me that they are not readily available at the wet market and that you can only buy them in special places like Baguio. Perhaps, that’s what’s gotten me hooked with strawberries in the first place, the fact that it is special and it is not always available.
So, why is strawberry my favorite fruit?
Come to think of it. I really don’t know…
Perhaps it’s that pucker-up-red color?
Perhaps it’s that wonderful flavor that could only come from it’s pulp that is both tart and sweet at the same time…
Perhaps it’s all those “seeds” outside that really is the true fruit of the strawberries. (The “seeds” you see on the outside of a strawberry are actually the plant’s ovaries and are called “achenes”. Each achene is an individual fruit with a single seed inside)
Or perhaps because it looks like little bundles of love that adds romance to any recipe you put it into. Perhaps it’s that or it just tastes really wonderful for me.
My fascination with strawberries led me into experimenting with it and adding it to dishes that looks promising like my favorite Sinigang. Yes, I did make Pork Belly Sinigang with Strawberry and I liked it. The problem was I was the only one in my family who did.
There was this one time, though, we ate at this Chinese restaurant. Strawberry Spare Ribs was one of the dishes that we ordered. The meat was crispy on the outside but soft, tender and juicy inside. Each piece of flavorful meat was coated with sweet, tart, salty strawberry sauce. Everyone loved it. I savored each and every bite as I made a mental note to try and remake it at home.
Surprisingly, I was able to replicate it on the first try! Unlike the Strawberry Spare Ribs we ordered, mine has fresh strawberry pieces to accent the dish and make it more appetizing and delectable.
I hope this recipe makes its way into your lunch table. If you’re into sweet and sour recipes, you’ll absolutely love this.
- 500g Pork Spare Ribs
- ½ cup strawberries, hulled and cut in half
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp shao xing or rice wine
- cooking oil for frying
For the Sauce- 4 tbsp strawberry jam or strawberry preserves
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water (optional)
- Cut ribs into pieces and marinate in soy sauce, sesame oil, shao xing, baking soda, and egg for 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine strawberry jam, water, and vinegar. Set aside.
- After 30 minutes, add cornstarch into the ribs and mix well. Make sure each piece is coated.
- Heat oil in a wok and fry ribs until golden brown. Remove and drain in a paper towel or strainer.
- Put 1 tbsp oil in a skillet and saute onions until translucent.
- Pour in the strawberry jam mixture and mix well.
- If the sauce seems a bit thin to you, you can add cornstarch- water mixture to thicken it.
- Add strawberries and let it cook for about 20 seconds.
- Mix in ribs evenly with sauce until each pieces is coated.
- Serve while the spareribs is still crispy.
Looks delicious, I love the idea of adding fresh strawberries with the ribs…
Have a great week Peachy 😀
It is so delish, Juliana! Thanks! Have a great week as well.
OMG! That really looks so yummy and like the idea of strawberries!
Thanks Healy!
Wow, sounds delicious and introguing…….
lovin the tangy strawberry with savoury ribs!!!!
This is delicious. You should try making this one of these days, Dedy!
Well this is very different! I’ve never seen a strawberry spare rib recipe. Looks delicious Peachy! I’ve got some strawberry jam in the fridge.
Then you should try this, MJ!
wow..that’s an intriguing dish you’ve got there. strawberries…yummmm!
Thanks May. I hope you try it at home.
I love strawberries too! However, I love this very unique recipe for your spareribs using strawberries very unique and recipe ingredients sound delightful together. I bet this dish would be a winner with my boys! Have a super weekend. BAM
Thanks Bam! Have a nice weekend as well.
Strawberries and spare ribs? Never even thought of trying that combo before, but it sounds delicious. Certainly your pictures are great, and the recipe looks wonderful. Good stuff — thanks.
It’s surprisingly deicious, John. Thanks!
I really enjoyed reading your bio. But the only reason I read your bio was because I saw a picture of those spareribs and wanted
to know WHO was this Peachy woman. Strawberries are pretty much available in stores year around. So this recipe is winner.
Thanks Carol!
Oh my gosh this looks delicious! My hubby hates cooked or warm fruit though so I’d have to make it on a night he’s not home for dinner.
You won’t regret making this. I promise.
That looks really good. Never thought to use strawberries like that.
Oh my! That look so incredibly delicious!
Thanks Jessica!
Oh YUM – I’ve never tried strawberries on ribs before! I bet it’s delicious!
It is! There’s always a first time for everything!
This looks really great and yummy,am feeling hungry lol!!
Thanks Debarpan!
i love cooking i surely try these one hope it will turn good 🙂
I’m sure you’ll cook this very well.
i love cooking , surely try these one hope it turns delicious as they are 🙂
I’m sure you’ll cook this very well.
ahh thank you for this! it looks delicious and i have been having a hard time of thinking what to cook lately lol definitely going to try this out 😀
I do hope you give this a try. It’s delicious!
Wow! I didn’t know that two of my favorite food will be a perfect match. I haven’t tried this before, it looks so yummy. I love it! 😀
Yeah, me too! It’s a good thing I tried recreating this at home.
Wow, I never really tasted anything like this before – love to give it a try sometime.
I’m sure your family will love this!
The flavours of strawberry would add a unique sweet taste to spare ribs here. This looks really delicious.
Thanks Franc. They really complement each other’s flavor.
I don’t like adding strawberries to cooked food since I like ’em on their own (or with chocolate!). But the spareribs with strawberries look delish! I want to try it out.
I also didn’t think these two could go so well together. Now, I’m a fan.
This is an interesting combination! I’m sharing this to my mother-in-law!
Please do and I hope you like this.
Wow oh my gosh my mom’s gonna love this! I’ll make some for her after Lent, when I go back to eating meat with feet. 🙂
I do hope you give this a try. It’s really delish!
I’m not really a fan of fruits on viands. I think it’s weird. But surprisingly I once tasted Chicken with orange and it was good. Maybe I can give this a try as well because I love spare ribs! The strawberry will give it a diffrent twist. Hopefully it will taste good for me. hihi!:)
Btw, nice pics!:)
Thanks Jho. I do hope you give this a try.
Wow that looks really deli-cious. Did not know that you can use strawberry with meat dishes hehehe. Matry nga yan mi=nsan..
Me too! Nun lang nakatikim ako sa Chinese resto.
wow! this looks yummy ^_^ i’ve got to try this. i love strawberries!
I do hope you give this a try.
I don’t think I’ve ever eaten strawberries in cooked food before. Normally, I have strawberry shakes or strawberries with chocolate. But this does look super yummy!
The one I tried didn’t have strawberries, only strawberry sauce. This tastes much better.
never thought of incorporating fruits to “ulam”… thanks for sharing. got to try this.
You’re welcome April.
Wow it looks so good! I’ve been telling my husband I need to come up with new dishes for the household. I’ll bookmark this post and check out your other recipes too 🙂
I hope you like my recipes Mitz.
Wow. This is the first ‘strawberry’ inspired food I have ever seen. I also cook for my family but sometimes, I’m the only one who loves what I cooked. Hehe.
Same here. My family is not as adventurous when it comes to food.
Wow! This looks really delish, but I’m not sure I’d love it cause I dislike sweet viands.