Iwate

Thick, sweet and sour sauce does the magic!

Ankake Katsudon

Kokka Shokudo, an old restaurant in Senmaya of Ishinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture, is known for having long served Ankake Katsudon, pork cutlet on a bowl of rice with a thick, sweet and sour sauce on top of it. In business since 1925, it originally served regular Katsudon pork cutlet rice bowl topped with soft eggs, but the chef invented Ankake Katsudon for people who did not prefer having their rice soaked in broth. The rice is covered with strips of cabbage, and topped with crisp and tender cutlet dressed with the thick, sweet and sour sauce, made from bonito and mackerel broth seasoned with sweet and spicy vegetable and fruit sauce, soy sauce and sugar.