Everybody loves a parade! Join us at the 35th annual Honolulu City Lights’ opening night, featuring the Electric Light Parade on Dec. 7. Each year, Hawaiian Electric teams up with the Friends of Honolulu City Lights and other sponsors to brighten Honolulu with festive cheer.

This year’s Honolulu City Lights ornaments include a special 35th anniversary design and another that features Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele going holoholo in a canoe off the shores of Waikiki. Proceeds from ornament sales go toward keeping the Honolulu City Lights celebration free to the public. Find out more at honolulucitylights.org.

In the meantime, enjoy a few ono pupu recipes to kick off the holiday season.

HOISIN BABY BACK RIBS

By Hawaiian Electric Co.

• 1 cup hoisin sauce, divided
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium shoyu
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 3 (2-pound) racks baby-back pork ribs
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• 6 green onions, sliced, for garnish
• Coleslaw, for serving

In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine 1/2 cup hoisin sauce, vinegar, honey, shoyu, Sriracha, ginger and garlic. Add ribs and turn to coat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Heat broiler and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Transfer 1 cup liquid from slow cooker to a medium bowl; whisk in remaining 1/2 cup hoisin sauce and ketchup. Transfer ribs to the prepared baking sheet and brush both sides generously with sauce. Broil, bone-side down, until browned and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer to cutting board and slice into individual ribs. Top with more sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with coleslaw. Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including coleslaw): 700 calories, 44 g fat, 15 g saturated fat, 160 mg cholesterol, 1,100 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 23 g sugar, 42 g protein.

TANGY TAKO PUPU

By Hawaiian Electric Co.

• 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
• 1/3 cup low-sodium shoyu
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 local Ewa or Kula sweet onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped limu (seaweed)
• 1 chili pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger root (optional)
• 1 pound cooked tako (octopus), thinly sliced

In large bowl, combine all ingredients except tako.

Add tako and mix well. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 90 calories, 1 g fat, no saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 13 g protein

PUPU CHICKEN WINGS

By Hawaiian Electric Co.

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 pounds chicken drumettes
• 2 cups low-sodium shoyu
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried red chili peppers, or to taste
• 8 green onions, chopped, divided

Fill large frying pan half full with oil, al and heat over medium to medium-high.

Put flour, salt, and pepper into a plastic or paper bag, shake to mix. Put a few pieces of chicken into bag and shake to coat, shaking off excess flour.

Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time, in hot oil, about 15 minutes or until cooked, adjusting heat if necessary.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, add shoyu, sugar, garlic, chili peppers and half the green onions; heat on low. When sugar melts and flavors meld, turn off heat. Set aside.

When chicken finishes cooking, using tongs, shake off excess oil and dip lightly into shoyu mixture. Shake off excess sauce and place chicken in a serving pan.

Continue until all chicken is done, then sprinkle remaining green onions as garnish. Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (assumes 75% of shoyu/sugar sauce used): 420 calories, 22 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 80 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,300 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 20 g sugar, 29 g protein.

PARADE SEASON

Look for the Hawaiian Electric ohana in four parades on Oahu:

>> Kapolei City Lights Parade, 6 p.m. Saturday

>> Pearl City Shopping Center Christmas Parade, 4 p.m. Sunday

>> Honolulu City Lights Public Workers Electric Light Parade, 6 p.m. Dec. 7

>> Waimanalo Christmas Parade, 9 a.m. Dec. 14

More Hawaiian Electric Co. recipes are available at hawaiianelectric.com.