Masgouf

History

Masgouf is considered the national dish of Iraq: a carp caught in the Tigris or Euphrates, split lengthwise, simply seasoned with salt, tamarind, and turmeric, then grilled upright, held in place by wooden stakes planted around an open fire.

This cooking method, said by local tradition to date back to Sumerian times, gives the fish’s flesh a slow smokiness and a crisp skin. Long prepared in floating restaurants or ones set up along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad, masgouf remains a communal dish, shared straight off the fish set on the table, without much ceremony.

Ingredients — serves 4

• 1 large whole carp (or similar fish)
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Onions and tomatoes, for garnish

Masgouf, step by step

1. Gut and scale the carp, then split it lengthwise, keeping the skin attached on one side.
2. Season the flesh generously with salt, turmeric, and diluted tamarind paste.
3. Let the fish marinate for at least an hour so the flavors soak in.
4. Plant wooden stakes around a wood fire to hold the fish upright, flesh facing the embers.
5. Grill the fish slowly until the flesh is cooked through and the skin is crisp.
6. Serve straight at the table, with onions, tomatoes, and flatbread.

Cooking method

Technique: vertical cooking in the radiant heat of an open wood fire, never placed directly on the embers.

Traditional equipment: wooden stakes, open fire on the riverbank.

Signs of doneness: the flesh should come away easily from the center bone, the skin nicely golden and crackly.

Nutrition, per serving

Calculated from the raw ingredient quantities above, divided by four servings.

A whole carp per four servings makes masgouf a genuinely high-protein main — 54 g per serving — with fat coming from both the fish itself, a naturally oilier freshwater species, and the finishing drizzle of olive oil, while saturated fat stays low, typical of fish rather than red meat.

Economic context

Carp from the Tigris and Euphrates has long been a locally caught, accessible fish, which kept masgouf a riverside staple rather than a luxury — though today, wild carp of the size traditionally used has become harder to source, and many restaurants rely on farmed fish instead.

Source: World Bank / FAO, Food Prices for Nutrition database (Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet) v4.0, 2024 data, CC BY 4.0, DOI 10.57966/41AN-KY81. Retrieved 29 July 2026. This figure describes the cost of a healthy diet in Iraq generally — it is not a costing of this specific recipe.

Who this dish suits

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