Masgouf

Masgouf (Iraqi Grilled Carp)

Masgouf is Iraq's national dish: a whole carp butterflied along the back, marinated in olive oil, tamarind, onion and salt, then slow-grilled upright around a wood fire so the fat drips away from the flesh. At home we approximate the traditional riverside grill with a charcoal kettle and a propped, splayed fish.

Prep

40 min

Cook

60 min

Total

100 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3 lb 5 oz) whole carp, freshwater carp; gutted, scaled, fins and gills trimmed
• •120 ml (½ cup) olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• •60 g (¼ cup paste) tamarind pulp, seedless, soaked in 60 ml / ¼ cup hot water and strained
• •2 large onions, 1 finely grated, 1 sliced thin for serving
• •15 g (1 tbsp) fine sea salt
• •10 g (2 tsp) ground turmeric
• •10 g (1 tbsp) ground coriander
• •5 g (2 tsp) ground cumin
• •5 g (1 tbsp) minced garlic, about 2 cloves
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
• •1 whole flatbread (1 loaf) Iraqi samoon or other flatbread, for serving
• •200 g (7 oz) pickled vegetables, turnips, chilies, cucumbers; traditional accompaniment

Steps

1. 1 Prepare the fish: rinse the carp under cold water and pat dry. Using a sharp knife, make a deep cut along the back from head to tail along both sides of the spine (do not cut through the belly). Open the fish flat like a book so it can stand upright on its backbone. Remove the bloodline along the spine and rinse again; pat very dry.
2. 2 Make the marinade: in a bowl whisk together the olive oil, strained tamarind liquid, grated onion, salt, turmeric, coriander, cumin, garlic and lemon juice until it forms a loose paste.
3. 3 Marinate: rub the marinade generously all over the fish, working it into the cuts and cavity. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes while you light the fire.
4. 4 Set up the grill: light about 1.5 kg / 3 lb of hardwood charcoal (oak or mesquite are closest to the traditional fruitwoods). When the coals are ash-covered and the fire is at medium heat (you should be able to hold your hand 10 cm / 4 in above the rack for 5 to 6 seconds), arrange the coals in a ring around the perimeter of the grill, leaving the center empty. Insert a tall, clean flat object (a sheet of foil-wrapped cardboard, a metal stand, or a flat stone) upright in the center to prop the fish.
5. 5 Prop and grill: stand the butterflied fish upright around the central prop, belly-down, so the two sides face outward toward the heat, with the back bone vertical. Brush the outer surfaces with a little extra olive oil. Cook slowly, turning every 10 to 12 minutes, for 40 to 50 minutes total. Baste with oil each turn.
6. 6 Finish over embers: rake a few glowing embers toward the center so the bottom edges char slightly, as is traditional. Cook 5 to 10 minutes more until the skin is crisp, blistered and lightly charred, and the flesh near the thickest part of the back is opaque and flakes easily.
7. 7 Doneness cue: the internal temperature at the thickest part of the back (read against the bone) must reach 63 °C / 145 °F, and the flesh should pull cleanly away from the spine with no translucency. Pull the fish from the fire and let it rest on a board for 5 minutes.
8. 8 To serve: gently lift the fish onto a platter, pull the backbone out whole, and flake the flesh into large pieces. Scatter the raw sliced onion over the top and serve with warm flatbread and pickles.