Masgouf

About This Recipe

Masgouf is one of the world's oldest grilled fish preparations and the undisputed national dish of Iraq, with records of the dish appearing in texts dating to antiquity. Traditionally, freshwater carp is pulled live from the Tigris or Euphrates rivers, butterflied open, rubbed with a simple paste of olive oil, turmeric, and salt, then propped vertically on wooden stakes around a smoking fire of slow-burning wood for 2–3 hours. The fish cooks slowly in the heat and smoke, developing an extraordinary flavour — crispy skin, moist flesh, and a deep smoky character unlike anything else. In Baghdad, restaurants line the riverbank serving Masgouf fresh from the flames.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 kgwhole carp or large freshwater fish, butterflied open
• 4 tbspolive oil
• 2 tspground turmeric
• 2 tspsalt
• 1 tspground black pepper
• 3 largetomatoes, sliced, for finishing
• 1 largeonion, sliced into rings, for finishing
• 2 lemonscut into wedges, to serve
• 1 bunchfresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve
• 4 roundsflatbread (khubz), to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the fish

   Ask the fishmonger to butterfly the carp — cut from the back, opening it flat while keeping the belly intact. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

2. 2

   Season

   Mix olive oil, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Rub generously all over both sides of the butterflied fish, including the cavity.

3. 3

   Grill skin-side first

   For open-fire method: place skin-side down on a grill over slow, indirect heat. Cook 60–90 minutes without turning until skin is very crispy and the flesh is almost fully cooked through.

4. 4

   Flip and finish with vegetables

   Turn flesh-side down. Place tomato slices and onion rings on the skin side. Cook a further 30 minutes until vegetables are soft and slightly charred.

5. 5

   Serve

   Lift carefully to a large platter. Surround with parsley, lemon wedges, sliced tomatoes, and fresh flatbread. Eat communally.

Variations

• •

  Oven Masgouf: roast at 160°C skin-side up for 90 minutes, then add vegetables and roast a further 30 minutes.

• •

  Spiced version: add cumin and chilli to the rub for extra warmth.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Masgouf is always best eaten fresh from the fire. Leftovers can be refrigerated 1 day and are excellent flaked into a salad.

Frequently Asked Questions