Masgouf (Iraqi Grilled Fish) - Middle Eastern Recipe

Masgouf (Iraqi Grilled Fish)

🌍 Middle Eastern, Baghdad, Iraq (Tigris River tradition) Difficulty: ●●●○○

Masgouf is Iraq's national dish; Baghdadi families have gathered on the banks of the Tigris to eat freshly grilled carp for over two millennia.

Ingredients

• 1 large whole freshwater fish (carp preferred; bass or bream as alternative), about 1.5 kg
• 100 ml vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Sliced tomatoes and onions for serving
• Fresh parsley and lemon to garnish

Method

1. Step 1 — Butterfly the fish open from the back (not the belly); remove spine but leave tail and head.
2. Scoring — Score flesh deeply; mix oil, tamarind, turmeric, cumin, paprika, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper.
3. Rubbing — Rub marinade generously all over fish; marinate 30 minutes.
4. Step 4 — Traditionally: cook opened fish on wooden stakes around an open fire, flesh-side to the coals for 30 minutes, then skin-side down 20 more minutes.
5. Step 5 — Modern method: grill or roast at 220°C (425°F) on rack, flesh-side up, for 25–30 minutes until cooked through and edges charred.
6. Serving — Serve on flatbread with sliced tomatoes, raw onion, and parsley.

Tags: whole freshwater fish, vegetable oil, tamarind paste, ground turmeric, cumin · Source: Brittani's Almanac