Çılbır aka Turkish Poached Eggs in Garlic Yogurt
Turkish Eggs Çılbır is a delicious and comforting breakfast dish that originates from Turkey. It features poached eggs, tangy herbed yogurt, garlic, and a generous amount of spiced melted butter. The combination of flavors and textures is amazing - the creamy yogurt complements the runny eggs, while the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor. I prepared this dish to be eaten with Jim Lahey’s No Knead Bread, which I used to scoop up the eggs and yogurt. It's a perfect breakfast that’s not too hard but looks and tastes impressive.
In this recipe, I also used a new technique that I came across on Epicurious’s Youtube channel for how to poach eggs perfectly, and I was really surprised at how easy it was and that it worked really well! Original video here.
Jim Lahey’s No Knead Dough Recipe
Çılbır
Ingredients
Servings 2-3
1 cup greek yogurt
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup of dill- use half for yogurt sauce & half for garnish
8-10 mint leaves, sliced
8-10 basil leaves (optional), sliced
1 garlic clove, grated
6 eggs
1 cup vinegar
4 tablespoons butter (I like salted)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
Step 1
In a medium bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 of the dill, 1/2 of the mint leaves, 1/2 of the basil (if you decide to use basil), and grated garlic. Add salt & pepper to taste and set aside.
Step 2
In a medium-large bowl, mix one cup of water with one cup of vinegar and gently crack 2-3 eggs into the bowl. Let the eggs sit in vinegar mixture until the outer layer of the egg white starts to become opaque, about 10 minutes. While you are waiting, place a medium sauce pan filled with 3-4 inches of water on the stove to medium heat. Bring the water to a gentle simmer.
Step 3
In a small saucepan, melt butter. Once melted, add the chili powder and red pepper flakes and stir. Cook for one minute. Set aside
Step 4
Once the egg whites are opaque and the water is gently simmering, use a ladle to scoop up one egg at a time and gently transfer the egg into the cooking water. Cook to your liking.
Step 5
On a plate, scoop 1/2 or 1/3 of yogurt mixture and spread it out. Place 2-3 eggs on top, and then drizzle with chili butter. Garnish with herbs, and eat with fresh bread or pita!
