Masgouf

Name: Masgouf
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Iraq
Ingredients: 1.5kg whole carp or sea bass, butterflied; 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp tamarind paste; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp cumin; salt and pepper to season; tomatoes and onion to serve

Iraq

Eaten on the banks of the Tigris for thousands of years. Fishermen still grill it in the traditional way in Baghdad.

Iraq's national dish — whole carp split and slow-grilled over an open fire on the banks of the Tigris river. Smoky, crispy-skinned and deeply flavoured.

Photo: Hill93

Prep

20 mins

Cook

90 mins

Difficulty

Medium

Calories

410 kcal

Serves

Calories are an estimate based on ingredients used

Ingredients

1.5kgwhole carp or sea bass, butterflied

3 tbspolive oil

2 tbsptamarind paste

1 tspturmeric

1 tspcumin

salt and pepperto season

tomatoes and onionto serve

Method

Score the fish flesh deeply. Mix oil, tamarind, turmeric and cumin. Rub all over.

Open the fish flat, skin-side down, on a grill over a wood fire.

Cook 45 minutes, skin-side down, until skin is very crispy.

Flip briefly to finish, 10 minutes.

Serve with flatbread, tomatoes and raw onion.

Chef's Tip

Keep the fish skin-side down for most of the cooking — patience creates the extraordinary crust.

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Masgouf

Ingredients

Method

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