Everything here crossed live coals.

Hand-minced lamb and beef, sumac onion, warm flatbread.

Cubes marinated overnight, charred over oak coals.

Saffron-yoghurt marinade, garlic sauce, grilled tomato.

Stacked lamb shaved off the spit, amba, pickles, in warm samoon.

Salt, fire, and nothing else.

River carp, split and staked upright by open fire for two hours. Priced by weight.

River fillet marinated and threaded on the skewer.

Slow lamb shank over spiced rice, raisins, and toasted almonds.

Bread in lamb broth, from eight in the morning every Friday.

Bulgur shell, spiced lamb, fried until it crackles.

Warm chickpeas, pine nuts, a spoon of charred lamb.

The Baghdad table is not set without them.

Sumac, torn bread, whatever the market gave up this morning.

Baked down the street, still hot when it reaches you.