Take part in the many festivities presented by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Snake. The Narcissus Festival Pageant on Jan. 12 is among the events, with 11 contestants vying for the Narcissus court titles. A Coronation Ball on Jan. 26 follows.

Here, the chamber is sharing recipes by "Pickle Lady" Leonora Ching, author of "The Pickle Lady’s Pickle Passion Cookbook." For a copy, call 256-4070.

For more on the Narcissus Festival, contact the chamber by phone at 533-3181, via email at info@chinesechamber.com, or online at www.chinesechamber.com or www.narcissusfestival.com.

SWEET AND SOUR SPARERIBS

3 pounds sparerib slabs, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 inch ginger root, peeled and smashed
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 whole star anise
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water

Place meat in large mixing bowl, drizzle 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce plus the flour onto the meat and mix well; set aside.

Heat large skillet over medium high heat, add the oil and heat. Brown ribs on each side. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil.

Immediately lower heat and simmer 45 minutes, or until meat is very soft.

Stir ribs occasionally to prevent burning and sticking to pan. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (assumes spareribs with bone): 550 calories, 37 g fat, 12 g saturated fat, 130 mg cholesterol, greater than 700 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 17 g sugar, 33 g protein.

SIN CHOY (PICKLED CABBAGE)

2 quarts water
1/3 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large mustard cabbages, blanched and cooled
1/3 cup Hawaiian salt

Boil water in a large saucepan; allow to cool until warm. Add vinegar and sugar. Place cabbage in pot; sprinkle with salt. Cover and let stand at room temperature 3 or 4 days. Pack into sterilized jars and refrigerate. Makes 2 quarts.

Note: When preserving pickled goods, prevent growth of molds and loss of good flavor or color by filling products into sterile Mason jars, leaving 1/4-inch space. Then seal with self-sealing lids and process 5 minutes in boiling-water canner, as recommended by the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Approximate nutritional information, per 1/4 cup serving: 15 calories, greater than 1000 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g sugar, no protein, fat or cholesterol.

SIN CHOY WITH PORK

1/2 pound pork belly, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 inch ginger root, peeled and smashed
1 pound sin choy (pickled mustard cabbage), soaked in warm water for 1 hour
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water

In large pan with oil over medium-high heat, sauté pork for 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir 2 more minutes. Add sin choy and mix well.

Add vinegar, sugar and water. Bring mixture to boil and simmer about 45 minutes, or until meat is tender. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 420 calories, 34 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, greater than 700 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 19 g sugar, 6 g protein.

KAU YUK WITH TARO

2-pound pork belly slab, cut into 4-inch strips lengthwise and cooked in boiling water for 45 minutes to soften meat
4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
3 tablespoons nam yue, smashed (fermented red bean curd sauce, found in Chinatown or Asian supermarkets)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons ginger root, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 whole star anise
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 medium taro, peeled and sliced into 3/8-inch pieces

Take cooled pieces of pork belly and place on tray, poke holes in meat with a fork and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce.

In large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat, then brown all sides of meat, remove from pan and cool.

Slice belly into 3/8-inch pieces.

In same saucepan, heat remaining oil and sauté nam yue, sugar, ginger, garlic, salt, star anise, vinegar, remaining soy sauce and pork belly for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In 2 large steam-safe bowls, arrange pork belly and taro slices, alternating each.

Steam bowls in large bamboo steamer over high heat for 2 hours.

Cool for a few minutes and then serve immediately. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 1,020 calories, 91 g fat, 30 g saturated fat, 110 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,000 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 18 g protein.

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More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at www.heco.com.