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Turkish Poached Eggs with Garlicky Yogurt (Çilbir)

4 Servings

30 minutes

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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

Ingredients

  • 2

    small garlic cloves, finely grated

  • teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

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Reviews
David C.
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.
kathleen h.

It is a problem getting the poached eggs off of the paper towel. Great recipe, I decreased the yogurt to 1.5 C

Lynn C.

Hi Kathleen -

Were they stuck to the towel? If yes, I would spray the paper towel with cooking spray to make them easier to remove. Hope that helps for next time!

Best,
The Milk Street Team

Jennifer B.

You have to be a turkophile and garlic lover to prefer your eggs this way. I confess, I never saw this dish in Turkey. Glad I tried it once.