Cilbir (Turkish Poached Eggs with Garlic Yogurt)

About This Recipe

Cilbir is a breakfast or light supper that feels luxurious despite relying on simple staples: yogurt, eggs, butter, garlic, and pepper. The technique is all about temperature and contrast. Yogurt is seasoned with garlic and salt, then brought close to room temperature so it stays creamy beneath the eggs. The eggs are poached until the whites are just set and the yolks remain molten. Finally, butter is heated with pul biber until ruby-red and fragrant, then spooned over the eggs so it stains the yogurt in warm streaks. Served with bread, cilbir is rich, tangy, spicy, and cooling all at once.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 300 gthick Turkish or Greek yogurt
• 1 smallgarlic clove, finely grated
• 4 largeeggs
• 30 gbutter
• 1.5 tsppul biber or Aleppo pepper
• 1 tbspwhite vinegar
• 1 tbspfresh dill, chopped
• 1 pinchfine salt
• 1 loafwarm crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the yogurt

   Stir yogurt with grated garlic and salt. Spread it in shallow bowls and let it sit at room temperature while you poach the eggs.

2. 2

   Prepare poaching water

   Bring a wide pan of water to a gentle simmer. Add vinegar. The water should tremble, not boil hard.

3. 3

   Poach the eggs

   Crack each egg into a small cup, slide into the water, and poach 3 to 4 minutes until whites set and yolks remain soft. Lift with a slotted spoon and drain briefly.

4. 4

   Make pepper butter

   Melt butter until foaming. Stir in pul biber for 10 to 15 seconds, just until the butter turns red and aromatic.

   Remove the pan from heat quickly; pepper flakes turn bitter if scorched.

5. 5

   Assemble

   Place eggs over the yogurt, spoon pepper butter on top, and finish with dill. Serve immediately with bread for scooping.

Variations

• •

  Add a spoon of labneh for an even thicker yogurt base.

• •

  Use smoked paprika with Aleppo pepper for a deeper butter finish.

• •

  Serve over wilted spinach for a more substantial brunch plate.

Storage

Cilbir is best assembled fresh. The garlic yogurt can be mixed 1 day ahead and refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions