Monday, December 28, 2020

Aloha Andagi

Aloha Andagi is a food stand that occasionally sets up outside the Marukai grocery store in Honolulu, Hawaii.




I've been to Aloha Andagi several times before, but this is the first time I've written about them on this blog.

When you go to the stand, there are usually 2-3 people in the back at two giant woks filled with oil, making batches of andagi.

Andagi (a.k.a. sata andagi) is a form of Okinawan deep-fried doughnut that is more on the cakey dense side. The main ingredients usually include flour, eggs, and milk. Andagi are usually made for happy occasions and are a form of good luck. As the treat fries up, the cracks and uneven terrain that forms on the exterior may resemble a smile. Sata means "sugar", while andagi generally means "deep fried".

You can make different flavors of andagi, although they generally aren't filled with anything. But a savory version - andadog - usually involves taking a hot dog wiener, coating it with the andagi batter, and deep frying it.

The original version is always available (six for $4) and they may rotate limited-time flavors with the original. On this visit, it was holiday season, so pumpkin andagi was the second flavor.




I got both options on this visit for science. They are placed in a paper bag to go.

The andagi here were very good. The original is sweet, but not overly so. As previously noted, they are on the dense side, probably even more than the standard cake doughnut. Yes, they are on the greasy side because it's deep fried, but you might as well enjoy the grease if it's a happy occasion (i.e. the holidays).




As for the pumpkin version ($1 each), again a proper andagi. It looked darker and felt slightly more dense than the original, so perhaps some pumpkin filling was mixed in with the base recipe.




Aloha Andagi may also show up at local events on Oahu. Check them out if you're on Oahu! 7.5/10

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