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Masgouf
Roast carp with tamarind
Masgouf (מסגוף): Iraqi-Jewish butterflied carp with tamarind and turmeric, roasted hot
On the banks of the Tigris, Baghdad's fish restaurants once stood carp upright on stakes round a wood fire, and Iraqi Jews brought the memory of masgouf to Israel, where it is grilled at family gatherings in Or Yehuda and at fish restaurants near Lake Kinneret. A whole carp is split along the back and opened flat, brushed with tamarind, turmeric and oil, then roasted under a fierce heat until the skin chars and the flesh flakes in big, smoky pieces. It is served on flatbread with sliced onion, tomato and amba. The usual problem is overcooking from the start; roast the flesh side first and finish briefly skin side. Chef's tip: if carp is not available, a butterflied sea bass or two large trout work very well.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ lb whole carpscaled, gutted and butterflied along the back (ask the fishmonger)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 lemoncut into wedges
To serve
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rinse 3 ⅓ lb whole carp and pat dry. Open it out flat, skin side down, and sprinkle the flesh with 1 ½ tsp salt.
Step 2: Mix 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 4 tbsp olive oil, 3 garlic cloves and ½ tsp black pepper into a loose paste and brush it all over the flesh. Leave in the fridge for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 3: Heat the grill to its highest setting or a barbecue to hot. Line a large tray with foil and oil it lightly. Lay the fish skin side down on the tray.
Step 4: Grill about 12 cm from the heat for 15–20 minutes, until the flesh is golden with charred edges.
18 minStep 5: Carefully turn the fish skin side up and grill for 5 more minutes until the skin blisters. It is done when the thickest part is opaque right through and flakes easily from the bones.
5 minStep 6: Slide onto a platter over 4 laffa or pita, scatter with 1 red onion and 2 tomatoes and serve with 1 lemon and amba. Watch for the many fine bones in carp.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does masgouf take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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