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Iraqi

Masgouf-style grilled carp

Non-vegetarian

مسكوف · masgouf

A whole carp split open, seasoned with salt, turmeric and tamarind and grilled slowly until smoky and tender, then topped with tomato and onion. A home version of Iraq's national fish dish, traditionally cooked upright beside a wood fire on the Tigris.

Masgouf-style grilled carp is an Iraqi main course, ready in about 55 minutes and made with carp, tamarind paste and tomato. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
40 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
411

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Open the fish out flat, skin side down. Mix the salt, turmeric (opens in a new tab), pepper (opens in a new tab), tamarind and half the oil and spread over the flesh.

    • 10 min

  2. Step 2

    Grill flesh side towards medium-hot coals in a fish basket (or skin side down on an oiled tray in a very hot oven (opens in a new tab)) until the flesh is opaque and smoky.

    Food safety: Fish is done when it flakes easily at the thickest part (63 °C).

    Food cooking over a grill
    How it looks · Photo: Malte Luk on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Lay the tomato (opens in a new tab) and onion (opens in a new tab) slices over the fish, drizzle with the remaining oil and cayenne and grill or roast for a final 10 minutes until they soften.

    • 10 min

  4. Step 4

    Serve on a large platter with bread and lemon (opens in a new tab) wedges, pulling the flesh off with pieces of bread.

    • 2 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Baghdad, Iraq · Well documentedMasgouf is widely regarded as Iraq's national dish, famously cooked along the Tigris in Baghdad.More food from Iraq
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Grills & kebabs
Cooking method
Grilled, Roasted
Taste
smoky, tangy, savoury
Diet
Pescatarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Without the optional extras: Whole-food focused, Paleo-style, No gluten ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Carp · Tamarind paste · Tomato · Onion · Turmeric
Techniques
Roasting · Grilling · Charcoal grilling

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom carp
  • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom pita bread
  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom pita bread
  • May contain: Sesamefrom pita bread

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

411 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 330 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 41%
  • Carbohydrate 8%
  • Fat 51%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy411 kcal124 kcal
Protein41.2 g12.5 g
Carbohydrate8.4 g2.5 g
Net carbohydrate6.7 g2 g
Sugars4.5 g1.4 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.7 g0.5 g
Fat22.9 g6.9 g
Saturated fat3.9 g1.2 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol149 mg45 mg
Sodium990 mg300 mg
Salt equivalent2.5 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
980 mg
Calcium
111 mg
Iron
3.7 mg
Magnesium
81 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
46 µg
Vitamin C
14 mg
Vitamin D
55.6 µg
Vitamin B12
3.4 µg
Folate (DFE)
49 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: cayenne / chilli powder, pita bread, lemon.
  • Tamarind paste: Raw tamarind pulp (FDC 167763). Commercial concentrates vary in water content.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Carp has many fine bones — serve with bread and eat slowly.

Common mistakes

  • Grilling too close to fierce heat — masgouf is cooked slowly beside the fire so the flesh stays moist.

Serve with

  • Serve with pickles (torshi), mango amba sauce and a chopped salad.

Storage

  • Best eaten freshly grilled.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Carp, scaled and butterflied along the back900 g
  • Tomato, sliced2 piece · 240 g
  • Pita bread (optional)4 piece · 240 g
Used in steps 1, 3, 4

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