National Dish Iraq: Masgouf (Recipe)
In this article
Masgouf is carp split down the back, opened flat like a book, and stood on stakes around an open fire so it cooks by radiant heat rather than contact. It takes an hour or more. Along the Tigris in Baghdad there are restaurants that do nothing else.
About Masgouf
Masgouf is Iraq’s national dish and it goes back a long way: fish cooked this way is depicted in Mesopotamian reliefs. The fish is butterflied, brushed with a marinade of tamarind, turmeric and olive oil, and propped vertically near the embers until the flesh is done and the skin is charred.
At the end it is laid flat on the coals for a few minutes, skin down, to finish.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 1 fresh carp (approx. 1 kg)
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2–3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2–3 fresh tomatoes, sliced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- Fresh parsley, to garnish
Shopping for the ingredients
Carp is the traditional fish and the one used on the Tigris. Ask the fishmonger to butterfly it from the back, leaving the belly skin intact so it opens flat. Tamarind paste in the marinade is more authentic than lemon and worth adding.
Preparing the dish
Butterfly the fish, scale it and rinse it well. Rub the marinade into the flesh side only, not the skin. Let it sit fifteen to thirty minutes, no longer, since acid begins to break down the flesh.
Step-by-step instructions
- Rub the fish all over with lemon juice and leave it to rest for 15 minutes.
- Prepare a marinade from garlic, olive oil, turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper, then coat the fish generously with it.
- Lay the fish halves on a grill rack or a rotating spit and cook over medium heat on charcoal or an open fire. Alternatively, bake the fish in the oven at 200°C for about 30–40 minutes.
- During the final 10 minutes of cooking, add the sliced tomatoes and onion.
- Garnish the finished dish with fresh parsley and serve piping hot.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Masgouf contains no gluten and no dairy. Only the flatbread served with it needs substituting for a gluten-free plate.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Fish is the dish. The marinade of turmeric, tamarind and garlic works well on thick slices of aubergine or on whole cauliflower cooked the same way over coals, and tepsi baytinijan, the aubergine bake, is the Iraqi vegetarian standard.
More tips and tricks
Cook it flesh-side towards the fire for most of the time and finish skin-down on the coals, which is the traditional order and prevents the flesh drying. Do not over-marinate. And use a fish basket if you are grilling flat, since carp falls apart when turned.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Tamarind in the marinade is the more authentic sour element. Some cooks add a little curry powder, which is a modern Baghdad habit. Grilled tomato and onion alongside are standard rather than optional.
Ingredient substitutions
Any large freshwater fish works: bream, tilapia or trout. Sea bass is a good marine substitute. An oven at 200°C gives a decent result if you have no fire.
Drink pairing ideas
Sweet black tea in small glasses, before and after. Iraqi arak with water at the table. Ayran or plain water alongside the fish.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve it opened flat on a large platter with the grilled tomato and onion over it, flatbread, raw onion, lemon and pickles around the edge. Everyone tears bread and takes fish from the same platter. It is a long, communal meal.
A bit of history
Fish from the Tigris and Euphrates has been eaten in Mesopotamia for as long as there has been settlement, and the split-and-stake method is genuinely ancient. Baghdad’s Abu Nuwas street was famous for its masgouf restaurants. The dish anchors Iraqi cuisine alongside dolma and kubba.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Masgouf
Masgouf is carp butterflied and cooked upright beside an open fire, then finished skin-down on the coals. Marinate the flesh side only, keep it brief, and serve it flat with bread.
