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Turkish Poached Eggs with Garlicky Yogurt (Çilbir)
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This classic Turkish dish, called çilbir, nestles runny-yolked poached eggs in a creamy, garlic-spiked yogurt, then finishes the dish with a spice-infused butter. We also add a handful of herbs for fresh flavor and bright color. Aleppo pepper gives the infused butter a vibrant red hue and subtle heat. If you can't find it, use 2 teaspoons sweet paprika plus ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. If you're hesitant to poach eggs, fear not. This method is simple and straightforward. The low sides of a skillet makes adding eggs to the water easier than with a high-sided pot. Some wispy whites may float away from each egg as it is added, but a firm layer of white will set neatly around the yolk, forming picture-perfect poached eggs. Serve warmed bread alongside, either crusty, country-style loaf or soft, tender flatbread.
4
Servings
Tip
Don't let the poaching water reach a full boil; aim for a full but gentle simmer with just a few bubbles breaking the surface every few seconds. The churn of boiling water will cause the eggs to break before they have a chance to set.
30 minutes
2 small garlic cloves, finely grated
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter
1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper (see note)
2 cups plain whole-milk or low-fat Greek yogurt
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons lightly packed fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lightly packed fresh mint, torn
1 tablespoon lightly packed fresh dill
4 large eggs
Flaky sea salt, to serve (optional)
Ingredients
-
2
small garlic cloves, finely grated
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1¼
teaspoons lemon juice
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4
tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter
-
1
tablespoon Aleppo pepper (see note)
-
2
cups plain whole-milk or low-fat Greek yogurt
-
Kosher salt
-
2
tablespoons lightly packed fresh cilantro
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2
tablespoons lightly packed fresh mint, torn
-
1
tablespoon lightly packed fresh dill
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4
large eggs
-
Flaky sea salt, to serve (optional)
Directions
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01In a medium bowl, stir together the garlic and lemon juice; set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium, heat the butter until bubbling. Add the Aleppo pepper and cook, swirling, until the butter is bright red and fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
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02To the garlic-lemon mixture, stir in the yogurt and ½ teaspoon salt. Divide among 4 serving bowls, then set aside at room temperature. In a small bowl, toss together the cilantro, mint and dill; set aside.
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03Fill a 10-inch skillet with at least 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Line a large plate with paper towels. Crack each egg into a small bowl or cup. One at a time, carefully tip the eggs into the water near the edge of the pan. Once all eggs have been added, cover the pan and turn off the heat. Let stand until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
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04Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer each egg to the prepared plate to briefly drain, then place 1 egg in each bowl, setting it on the yogurt. Drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon of the Aleppo butter and top with the herb mixture, dividing it evenly. Sprinkle with sea salt, if using.
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Reviews
January 15, 2023
Interesting
The yogurt is delicious, poaching the eggs was not as easy as noted, but worked ok. Aleppo pepper good on the eggs/yogurt. The one thing is that it is warm eggs on mildly cool yogurt, which I found not as tasty as I hoped. Completely room temp yogurt would be best.
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Your First Issue
It is a problem getting the poached eggs off of the paper towel. Great recipe, I decreased the yogurt to 1.5 C