Helen, I looked thru my collection of community cookbooks and the folder of loose recipes labeled pork. I don't think I found the exact one you are looking for, but will look a bit more. Post it if you find it, it sounds interesting. The one I usually make now is the Quincy Jones rib recipe he made on Oprah. The meat just falls off the bones and is delicious.
Until you find the one you are looking for, here are a other Hawaiian-type recipes that I have not tried. One recipe had so many typos is unusable but does explain how to brown the ribs in soy and flour, as follows:

1 lb spareribs
4 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons soy sauce

Cut ribs into 2 inch pieces. Make a paste of flour, salt and soy sauce. Roll the ribs in the paste. Heat oil and brown the ribs. Drain ribs.

And three more:

HAWAIIAN SPARE RIBS

8 oz crushed pineapple in it's own juice
1/3 cup apricot jam
3 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
4 lbs pork baby-back ribs

Place all ingredients except ribs in the container of a blender or food processor. Cover and process until very smooth. Place ribs on greased rack of grill. Grill over med heat for 40 minutes or until barely pink near bone. Divide pineapple sauce mixture into two containers. Baste ribs with one container of the pineapple sauce mixture during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Reserve other container. Cut into individual ribs to serve, dipping them into reserved pineapple sauce mixture. Makes 8 appetizer-size servings.

SPARE RIBS HAWAIIAN

3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup catsup
8 oz. crushed pineapple
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 rack pork ribs

Combine all ingredients except ribs. Cook, stirring to prevent scorching until thick. Arrange ribs, (cut into 1 or 2 bone sections), in layers in roasting pan. Pour pineapple mixture over. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours or until tender.

SWEET-SOUR SPARERIBS
(Chinese Style)
2 lb. country-style spareribs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 green peppers, but into 6 pieces each
1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 small can pineapple chunks
1/4 cup vinegar
Soy sauce

Cut ribs into serving portions and brown over moderate heat (about 5 minutes on each side). Add brown sugar, salt and 1/2 cup of the water. Cover pan tightly and cook on very low heat 20 minutes. Add green peppers. Stir in cornstarch blended with juice from pinneapple, vinegar and remaining cup of water. Cover and continue cooking over heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, adding more water as needed to prevent drying. Before serving, add pinepple chunks and soy sauce to taste. Gently heat through. Serve with rice.