Ryukyu Court Sweet · Cracked Sugar Doughnut
Sata Andagi
Photo: Ocdp / Wikimedia Commons · CC0
Its name literally just means 'fried sugar' in Okinawan (sata = sugar, anda = oil, agi = fry), and the split that opens up as it fries is seen as a smile, which makes it a fixture at weddings and celebrations.
A stiff, only lightly sweetened dough of flour, egg and sugar is rolled into a ball and deep-fried until one side splits open into a golden, tulip-like crack, producing a dense, slightly crisp doughnut hole eaten plain or in flavors like purple sweet potato and brown sugar.
Why it's made this way: The technique is usually traced to Chinese fried sesame balls such as kaikouxiao ('open-mouth smile'), brought to the Ryukyu court through its close ties with China, and it has remained Okinawa's everyday and celebration sweet ever since.
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