Mangal

Mangal is a Bulgarian/Turkish word meaning brazier—a large metal or ceramic vessel, usually placed on a pedestal, used traditionally for burning charcoal to heat rooms or cook food. Because it is constantly exposed to fire, ash, and smoke, a mangal is typically blackened by soot and burnt residue. In Bulgarian slang, mangal is also used as a insult, primarily aimed at Roma (Gypsies) or, more broadly, dark-skinned people. The insult comes from the association between the mangal’s black, dirty appearance.