The 20 most famous dishes of Iraq
Iraqi cooking is heir to Mesopotamia and Abbasid Baghdad, rich in timman (rice), dates, kubbas and dolma, with the signature tang of dried black lime and Iraqi baharat.
1Masgouf
River carp split along the back and grilled upright around a wood fire, then brushed with tomato and onion —…
2Iraqi Dolma
Vine leaves, onions, peppers, aubergine and courgette stuffed with rice and meat flavoured with pomegranate…
3Kubbat Halab (Iraqi Rice Kubba)
Despite its name it's Iraqi: a shell of turmeric rice filled with meat, raisins and almonds, fried crisp.
4Kubba Mosul
Large, plate-thin discs of bulgur dough filled with meat, boiled then fried — the pride of Mosul cooking.
5Tashreeb
Torn bread soaked in lamb or chicken broth flavoured with dried lime and chickpeas — eaten for breakfast or…
6Quzi
Whole lamb or leg of lamb slow-cooked over rice spiced with nuts and raisins — the great banquet dish.
7Iraqi Biryani
Golden rice with chicken, vermicelli, peas, fried potato and nuts — quite unlike Indian biryani.
8Tepsi Baytinjan
A tray of fried aubergine with meatballs, potatoes, tomatoes and onion, baked in tomato sauce.
9Pacha
Sheep's head, trotters and tripe simmered for hours and served on broth-soaked bread — a Baghdad winter…
10Kahi with Geymar
Crisp flaky pastries drizzled with syrup and eaten with geymar (buffalo clotted cream) — Baghdad's famous…
11Kleicha
Iraq's Eid cookies filled with dates or walnuts, scented with cardamom and nigella seed.
12Margat Bamia
Okra stew with lamb, tomato, garlic and dried lime, served with white rice — the everyday lunch.
13Fasolia Yabsa
Dried white bean stew with lamb and tomato, the partner of rice in Iraqi homes.
14T'beet
Chicken stuffed with rice and cooked overnight with more rice, tomato and spices on very low heat — an old…
15Iraqi Kebab
Minced lamb kebab with onion grilled over charcoal and served with bread, grilled tomatoes and sumac.
16Mutabbag Simach
Spiced rice with raisins and fried onion layered with fried fish — Basra's famous dish.
17Timman Jazar
Rice with grated carrot, meat, raisins and cardamom — a colourful Iraqi celebration rice.
18Makhlama
Eggs cooked over a mix of minced meat, onion and tomato — a hearty Iraqi breakfast.
19Kubba Hamudh
Rice-shell kubba filled with meat, simmered in a sour soup of turnip, chard and lemon.
20Dibis w Rashi
Iraqi date syrup swirled with rashi (tahini) and scooped with bread — the simplest, tastiest Iraqi treat.