Masgouf
Encyclopedia
Semeç Masgûf, often shortened as "Masgûf" (Iraqi Arabic
: , Classical Arabic
literally "impaled fish") is an Iraqi
dish that is de-facto considered as the national dish of Modern Iraq
. It is more than anything, an integral part of modern Iraqi culture and social life as eating Masgûf is a social event per se.
prides itself of making the best of the Masgûf, with its famous Ebû Newâs district on the shores of the Tigris
river, "dedicated" to this dish, with more than two dozen fish restaurants. Nonetheless, one can find the Masgûf all over Iraq, from North to South, especially in the regions near the Tigris-Euphrates Basin
.
Outside of Iraq, the Masgûf is more or less popular in the Jazīra
as in the rural parts of Syria
, especially in the regions bordering Iraq, such as in the Raqqa Governorate, (crossed by the Euphrates
). It is also seen, at a lesser scale, in the Jazīra
areas located in Turkey
, such as Nusaybin and Cizre
, on the Iraqi border.
On a slightly larger scale, Masgûf can now be enjoyed in Damascus
due to a high number of Iraqis living there as a diaspora
, that immigrated after the 2003 invasion of Iraq
. In the district of Jeremana
alone, where dwell most of the Iraqis, more than ten Masgûf restaurants, staffed exclusively by an Iraqi personnel have been opened in a row. The fish is brought daily from the Syrian Euphrates to these restaurants, and is kept alive in a fishpond or a big aquarium
until it is ordered by a customer for serving.
Note that the aforementioned marinade is exclusively made by a variable mixture of olive oil
, rock salt, tamarind
and ground turmeric
.
Following the marination process, the fish is either impaled on two sharp piles of wood, or placed in a big cast iron grill with a handle and a locking snare, designed specifically for that duty.
The next step is the most delicate one, since the fish, together with the grill or the piles, is placed near the fire of the fire altar
, a common feature shared by all Masgûf restaurants. The said "altar" typically consists of a big open-air area centered by a raised, podium-like sandbox that is either round, octagonal or sometimes rectangular and in the middle of which there's always a rather large bonfire, consisting exclusively of apricot tree logs.
The cooking typically takes between one and three hours depending on the size of the fish, until most of the fish's fat is burnt out (as the carps are typically fatty), time during which the guests will pick at their meze
s together with Iraqi arak.
When the fish is well cooked and crispy on the outsides, it is typically laid on a big tray garnished with lime
(or lemon
), slices of onion
and Iraqi pickles
. Sometimes, in Bagdad
, a little bit of a mango chutney is also spread on the inside. The tray is then covered by a large crispy flatbread straight of a clay oven
to keep the contents hot until served to the client.
of Northern Iraq prepare exactly the same recipe, with the only difference of using a clay oven
. The end result is more or less the same, being just a little faster.
Iraqi Arabic
Iraqi Arabic is a continuum of mutually intelligible Arabic varieties native to the Mesopotamian basin of Iraq as well as spanning into eastern and northern Syria, western Iran, southeastern Turkey, and spoken in respective Iraqi diaspora communities.-Varieties:Iraqi Arabic has two major varieties...
: , Classical Arabic
Classical Arabic
Classical Arabic , also known as Qur'anic or Koranic Arabic, is the form of the Arabic language used in literary texts from Umayyad and Abbasid times . It is based on the Medieval dialects of Arab tribes...
literally "impaled fish") is an Iraqi
Iraqi cuisine
Iraqi cuisine or Mesopotamian cuisine has a long history going back some 10,000 years - to the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians. Tablets found in ancient ruins in Iraq show recipes prepared in the temples during religious festivals - the first cookbooks in the world...
dish that is de-facto considered as the national dish of Modern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. It is more than anything, an integral part of modern Iraqi culture and social life as eating Masgûf is a social event per se.
Geographical Distribution
The Iraqi capital city BagdadBagdad
-Places:Australia* Bagdad, TasmaniaMexico* Bagdad, TamaulipasPoland* Bagdad, PolandUnited States* Bagdad, Arizona* Bagdad, California* Bagdad, Butte County, California* Bagdad, Florida* Bagdad, Kentucky* Bagdad, New York* Bagdad, Virginia...
prides itself of making the best of the Masgûf, with its famous Ebû Newâs district on the shores of the Tigris
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
river, "dedicated" to this dish, with more than two dozen fish restaurants. Nonetheless, one can find the Masgûf all over Iraq, from North to South, especially in the regions near the Tigris-Euphrates Basin
Tigris-Euphrates river system
The Tigris–Euphrates river system is part of the palearctic Tigris-Euphrates alluvial salt marsh ecoregion, in the flooded grasslands and savannas biome, located in West Asia.-Geography:...
.
Outside of Iraq, the Masgûf is more or less popular in the Jazīra
Al-Jazira, Mesopotamia
Upper Mesopotamia is the name used for the uplands and great outwash plain of northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria and southeastern Turkey which is known by the traditional Arabic name of Al-Jazira , variously transliterated into Roman script as Djazirah, Djezirah and Jazirah...
as in the rural parts of Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, especially in the regions bordering Iraq, such as in the Raqqa Governorate, (crossed by the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
). It is also seen, at a lesser scale, in the Jazīra
Al-Jazira, Mesopotamia
Upper Mesopotamia is the name used for the uplands and great outwash plain of northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria and southeastern Turkey which is known by the traditional Arabic name of Al-Jazira , variously transliterated into Roman script as Djazirah, Djezirah and Jazirah...
areas located in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, such as Nusaybin and Cizre
Cizre
Cizre is a town and district of Şırnak Province in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, located at the border to Syria, just to the north-west of the Turkish-Syrian-Iraqi tripoint....
, on the Iraqi border.
On a slightly larger scale, Masgûf can now be enjoyed in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
due to a high number of Iraqis living there as a diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
, that immigrated after the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. In the district of Jeremana
Jaramana
Jaramana is a city in the Rif Dimashq Governorate in southern Syria.Its location, 10 Kilometers southeast of the Syrian capital, makes it a bustling town in the greater Damascus metropolitan area, with a Christian and Druze majority...
alone, where dwell most of the Iraqis, more than ten Masgûf restaurants, staffed exclusively by an Iraqi personnel have been opened in a row. The fish is brought daily from the Syrian Euphrates to these restaurants, and is kept alive in a fishpond or a big aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
until it is ordered by a customer for serving.
Preparation and Serving
Upon request of a customer, the fish is caught live and weighed. If agreed on, the animal is killed on the spot by a quick blow onto the forehead with a small rod. It is then partially scaled, gutted and cut in two identical halves from the belly up while leaving the back intact, opening the fish in the shape of a big symmetrical circle. From there, the master cook generously bastes the marinade on the inside of the fish with a brush.Note that the aforementioned marinade is exclusively made by a variable mixture of olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
, rock salt, tamarind
Tamarind
Tamarind is a tree in the family Fabaceae. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic .-Origin:...
and ground turmeric
Turmeric
Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive...
.
Following the marination process, the fish is either impaled on two sharp piles of wood, or placed in a big cast iron grill with a handle and a locking snare, designed specifically for that duty.
The next step is the most delicate one, since the fish, together with the grill or the piles, is placed near the fire of the fire altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
, a common feature shared by all Masgûf restaurants. The said "altar" typically consists of a big open-air area centered by a raised, podium-like sandbox that is either round, octagonal or sometimes rectangular and in the middle of which there's always a rather large bonfire, consisting exclusively of apricot tree logs.
The cooking typically takes between one and three hours depending on the size of the fish, until most of the fish's fat is burnt out (as the carps are typically fatty), time during which the guests will pick at their meze
Meze
Meze or mezze is a selection of small dishes served in the Mediterranean and Middle East as dinner or lunch, with or without drinks. In Levantine cuisines and in the Caucasus region, meze is served at the beginning of all large-scale meals....
s together with Iraqi arak.
When the fish is well cooked and crispy on the outsides, it is typically laid on a big tray garnished with lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
(or lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
), slices of onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
and Iraqi pickles
Pickles
Pickles may refer to:* A pickled cucumber, the food most commonly referred to as a pickle in the U.S. and Canada* A pickled onion, the food most commonly referred to as a pickle in the UK* Other vegetables that have been pickled...
. Sometimes, in Bagdad
Bagdad
-Places:Australia* Bagdad, TasmaniaMexico* Bagdad, TamaulipasPoland* Bagdad, PolandUnited States* Bagdad, Arizona* Bagdad, California* Bagdad, Butte County, California* Bagdad, Florida* Bagdad, Kentucky* Bagdad, New York* Bagdad, Virginia...
, a little bit of a mango chutney is also spread on the inside. The tray is then covered by a large crispy flatbread straight of a clay oven
Tandoor
A tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in cooking and baking. The tandoor is used for cooking in Azerbaijan, India, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Central Asia, as well as Burma and Bangladesh.The heat for a tandoor was...
to keep the contents hot until served to the client.
Variations
The TurkmensIraqi Turkmen
The Iraqi Turkmen are an ethnic group who mainly reside in northern Iraq. Estimates of their numbers vary dramatically, in accordance with Iraq's assimilation policies no realistic and independent census results have been revealed regarding the Iraqi Turkmen population...
of Northern Iraq prepare exactly the same recipe, with the only difference of using a clay oven
Tandoor
A tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in cooking and baking. The tandoor is used for cooking in Azerbaijan, India, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, Georgia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Central Asia, as well as Burma and Bangladesh.The heat for a tandoor was...
. The end result is more or less the same, being just a little faster.