Elizabeth Chiu King prepares pork back ribs and Cold-tossed Noodles with Bean Sprouts for Chinese New Year, February 9, 2010, at her home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Chinese New Year is the biggest holiday celebration in China. Each year is symbolized by an animal, based on the Chinese Zodiac. This is the Year of the Tiger.

What's unique this year is that the tiger meets cupid because the 15-day celebration begins on Sunday, Valentine's Day.

Elizabeth Chiu King, cookbook author and president of the Chinese American Educational and Cultural Center of Michigan (CAECC), says she is "thrilled" that the holiday starts on Feb. 14.

"It's a love day, and red is a beautiful color," King says. "For Chinese New Year there is always red because it is a happy and bright color."

Chinese New Year traditionally calls for food, like golden dumplings, extra-long noodles, egg rolls and whole fish, that evokes prosperity, wealth and long life. It is a festive time that centers around gatherings of families, friends and food.

"There's no particular food, except that it's just the best you can afford," says King. "But certain foods do have symbolic nature."

King, 74, explains that eggs represent rebirth and regeneration. The Chinese word for fish, "Yu" sounds like the word for plenty, and brings good luck and blessings. And dumplings are shaped like Chinese gold ingots, which once were used as currency.

"It meant you have plenty of money," says King, who was born in Shanghai.

Serving noodles is also appropriate. "Noodles represent long life," says King.

Since Chinese New Year is also a celebration of the spring to come, serving spring rolls is popular. Spring rolls are light and delicate versions of egg rolls. They are typically filled with fresh vegetables and meant to evoke spring.

King will be preparing pork back short ribs for Chinese New Year because, she says, her grandchildren love them. In Chinese cuisine, pork is more popular than beef.

"To the Chinese when they talk about meat, they mean pork," says King. "Pork is very crucial and it can be done any way. With this recipe of mine, it's so good I call it finger-licking good."

Making dumplings (called Jiao Zi) from scratch is a tradition for many families. King says the art of making dumplings is extremely important in the Northern provinces of China.

"In Beijing they are very versatile in kneading the dough and they are very good," says King. "In the south we opt for the easy way and use wonton skins to wrap and make them because they do take a lot of effort."

Gabrielle Lee, 38, of Troy, Mich., whose family is from Taiwan, makes her own dumplings. "Basically it's a family event and everyone participates in it," she says.

<b>Marinade</b>½ cup dark soy sauce¼ cup whiskey or gin or dry white wine<b>Gravy</b>¼ cup honey1 cup chicken broth2 ½ cups cold water½ teaspoon black pepper<b>Ribs</b>1 slab of pork back ribs, 3 ½ pounds3 tablespoons olive, corn or vegetable oil1 large or several small onions, thinly sliced1 knob of ginger, smacked with a cleaver½ blub of fresh garlic, peeled and thinly sliced½ cup cold waterIn a small bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix gravy ingredients and set aside.Cut the slab of ribs into five or six segments, about two to three ribs each piece.Brush ribs with marinade. Brush ribs again with the same marinade and set aside.Heat a large skillet or wok on high for 30 seconds. Add the oil to coat skillet for 30 seconds longer. Working in batches, place the rib pieces carefully in the skillet, one at a time. Pan-fry the ribs for 3 minutes. Turn ribs over and fry the other side for another 3 minutes until brown. Transfer ribs with a slotted spoon or tongs to a six-quart saucepot.Add the onion, ginger and garlic to the skillet and stir-fry a few minutes over high heat. Add the water. Cover and cook for two minutes.Add ribs to saucepot, together with remaining marinade. Add the gravy ingredients. Cover and bring to full boil, in about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn heat to medium low and cook the ribs for about 45 minutes, basting the ribs with the gravy frequently to keep the meat moist. Turn the ribs and baste again with gravy. Continue cooking for another 45 minutes or until the ribs are tender. Do not overcook. When meat begins to flake off from the bones, turn off the heat and serve with gravy.Elizabeth Chiu King says by cooking these ribs slowly on low heat, the meat becomes very tender. The ribs can be cooked ahead and reheated for later serving. When refrigerated, the fat will gel. Skim off the congealed fat with a spoon before reheating.From Elizabeth Chiu King, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

<b>Dough</b>½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour½ cup cold water<b>Filling</b>2 cups finely chopped napa cabbage2 teaspoons kosher salt¾ pound ground pork8 ounces peeled, deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped3 green onions, washed, thinly sliced3 large cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry1 ½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce2 to 3 teaspoons toasted Asian sesame oil½ teaspoon granulated sugarFreshly ground black pepperFor cooking and servingVegetable oil, as needed (for pan-fried dumplings)<b>Dipping sauces</b>To make the dough: Electric stand mixer method: Place the flour in the large bowl. Fit the mixer with a dough hook. Add the water and mix on low to medium speed until the dough starts forming into ball. Mix on medium about 5 minutes.Alternatively, place the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the center, add the water. Begin to stir using a wooden spoon and then by hand until the dough just comes together. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes.The dough should be smooth and not sticky. Divide the dough in half; roll into two 6-inch logs. Sprinkle each log with a little flour, cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before rolling and filling.<b>To make the filling: </b>In a medium bowl, toss the cabbage with 2 teaspoons of the salt and set aside for 30 minutes to shed moisture. Wring the cabbage out in a clean kitchen towel to extract as much liquid as possible.In a large bowl, combine the cabbage with all the remaining filling ingredients, stirring until well mixed. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.<b>To roll the dough: </b>Cut each log in half crosswise. Cut each half crosswise into thirds, and then slice each of those pieces into three even coins. You should have 36 pieces of equal size. Toss the pieces in flour to coat evenly and then cover with a clean towel so they don't dry out.Roll one piece of dough into a thin 3-inch circle; roll from the edges toward the center as you rotate the dough. This rolling technique helps create a round with thin edges and a thicker center. Roll several at a time and keep them covered with a damp towel so they don't dry out.Spoon 2 teaspoons of the filling onto a dough circle, fold it in half and, if you're going to boil the dumplings, seal it by pinching along the curved edge. If you're planning to pan-fry the dumplings for pot stickers, make your first pinch at the center of the curved edge and then pleat toward the center on both sides to create a rounded belly. This wider shape allows the dumplings to sit upright in the pan and form a flat surface for browning.Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. As you work, arrange the filled dumplings in a single layer without touching on large plates so they don't stick together.<b>To boil: </b>Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, quickly add the dumplings one at a time, making sure they don't stick to each other. Lower the heat to medium and continue to boil, gently stirring occasionally, until the dumplings float and are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce.<b>To pan-fry: </b>Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy-duty 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working quickly and in batches if necessary (adding more oil for the second batch if needed), arrange the dumplings belly side down. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in about ½ cup water or enough to come about a third of the way up the sides of the dumplings, bring to a boil, cover, and cook until all of the water has been absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to medium, and continue cooking just until the dumplings are dry and crisp on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Loosen the dumplings from the pan with a spatula. Invert the pan over a plate to flip the dumplings, browned side up, onto the plate (or transfer with a spatula). choice of dipping sauce.Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine February/March issue.

<b>Filling</b>1 pound ground chicken1/3 cup canned water chestnuts, drained, finely chopped1 small carrot, peeled, finely chopped2 green onions, washed, ends removed, finely chopped1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger1 teaspoon sesame oil1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce½ teaspoon salt2 teaspoons sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch<b>Dumplings</b>24 round wonton wrappers<b>Dipping sauce</b>Combine all filling ingredients and mix well. Place the wonton wrappers on a clean work surface and cover with a damp towel.Look for wonton wrappers in the produce area of most grocery stores. They are usually sold in packages of about 50; freeze what you don't useWorking with one wrapper at a time, place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center. Gather the edges around the filling, forming a basket. Gently squeeze the center of the dumpling to expose the filling at the top. Tap the bottom of the dumpling on the work surface to flatten it. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Repeat with remaining wrappers.Bring water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer basket. Working in batches, place the dumplings in the steamer basket (do not crowd) and steam for 12 minutes or until cooked through. Repeat with remaining dumplings. Serve with choice of dipping sauces.Chinese dumplings (called Jiao zi) are traditionally served for Chinese New Year celebrations. Sometimes families make the dumplings and fillings together.<b>Dipping sauces:</b>Chili-Soy: In a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon (or more to taste) hot chili paste or sweet chili sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 finely sliced green onion.Ginger-Soy: In a small bowl mix together 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, ½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce.Adapted from "Dim Sum" by Vicki Liley (Periplus Editions Ltd., $17.95).

<b>Dressing</b>½ teaspoon sugar¼ teaspoon white pepper1 tablespoon soy sauce1 tablespoon sesame oil½ tablespoon oyster sauce<b>Salad</b>2 quarts boiling water1½ pounds fresh asparagus or 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen asparagus spears, thawedIn a large bowl, mix together all the dressing ingredients. Have the boiling water ready.Wash the asparagus stalks and snap off the tough ends. The stalks should break at the woody part of the stem. Discard ends.Slice the stalks diagonally into 2-inch lengths, or leave them whole.Parboil the asparagus in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes or steam for 5 minutes in a vegetable steamer.Drain the asparagus under cold running water to stop the cooking and retain color. Add asparagus to the dressing in the bowl. Toss well to coat. Arrange on individual salad plates and serve.

Elizabeth Chiu King prepares pork back ribs and Cold-tossed Noodles with Bean Sprouts for Chinese New Year, February 9, 2010, at her home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. (Kathleen Galligan/Detroit Free Press/MCT)