Çilbir (Turkish Eggs With Yogurt)
Updated October 11, 2023
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 cup thick, strained yogurt (such as Greek yogurt), at room temperature
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil (or a combination of both)
1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper (or 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, to taste)
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh dill or parsley leaves (optional), for garnish
Toasted crusty bread or flatbread, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
23 grams carbs; 437 milligrams cholesterol; 523 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 36 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 743 milligrams sodium; 27 grams protein; 7 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer over medium heat.
- Step 2
Prepare the garlic yogurt: In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and garlic. Divide between two shallow bowls, using the back of a spoon to spread it out.
- Step 3
In a small saucepan or skillet, heat the butter or olive oil over medium. Add the Aleppo pepper and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds; remove from heat.
- Step 4
Crack the eggs into four separate small bowls. Add the vinegar to the simmering water. (You want the water to be at a low simmer, with very small bubbles rising to the top. Reduce the water temperature to medium-low if need be.) Using a slotted spoon, give the water a swirl, then gently add one egg at a time, trying to space them evenly apart. (Swirling the water helps the egg whites form tight, round nests as they cook.) Cook the eggs just until the whites are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 5
Using the slotted spoon, transfer 2 eggs to each bowl of yogurt, lifting out one at a time and dabbing underneath the spoon with a folded paper towel to remove excess water.
- Step 6
Season the eggs with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the spiced butter and sprinkle with herbs, if using. Serve with bread.
Private Notes
Comments
This is even easier if you poach the eggs in the oven. Add a Tablespoon of water to each well in a muffin pan—even the ones that won’t get an egg. Crack an egg in to a muffin cup. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes (depending on your oven and how runny you like your yolks. They all finish at the same time and require no minding while they cook.
Very similar to a recipe I've been making for years. Instead of the pepper flakes, make a spoonful of the butter-olive oil sauce with smoked paprika and mint that gets drizzled on top of the garlic-yogurt and egg. I also use garlic paste from a tube, which is easy in the morning and not quite as pungent. A favorite breakfast!
Stop fiddling around with vinegar and swirling. Follow Kenji’s advice and drain the excess watery whites from the eggs in a fine strainer, then slide the drained eggs into the simmering water. Perfect results every single time.
The first time, made as written except for Aleppo pepper, Kashmiri Red Chili instead, and melted the butter with the chili in the microwave. The second time used sour cream. Fried eggs gently in a nonstick pan, lid on for a few minutes at the end - worked great. Tried freeze-dried chives as a garnish, a bit crunchy. Ate it with homemade bread, toasted. Made a single serving. It's a keeper.
Am I the only one who uses an egg-poaching pan insert? Flawless eggs every time, no fiddling about. Also, this recipe made me drool. I need to actually try MAKING it.
delish!!