Description
Turkish Eggs, or Cilbir, is a traditional Turkish breakfast dish featuring perfectly poached eggs served atop a creamy, garlicky yogurt sauce infused with fresh herbs. The dish is finished with a drizzle of spiced melted butter, offering a comforting blend of creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors that’s simple yet elegant.
Ingredients
Scale
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup Turkish or Greek yogurt
- A handful fresh dill
- A handful fresh mint leaves
- ½ garlic clove (adjust to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Eggs & Poaching
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
Spiced Butter Sauce
- 2 oz butter (55g)
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Prepare the Yogurt Sauce: Finely chop the fresh dill and mint leaves. Grate or crush the half garlic clove and mix all these into the yogurt. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste, then set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Poach the Eggs: Bring a deep pot of water to a gentle boil and add 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Stir the water to create a vortex, then carefully crack an egg into the center of the swirling water. Poach the egg for about 3 minutes to achieve a runny yolk. Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg and set aside. Repeat for the second egg.
- Make Spiced Butter Sauce: In a pan over medium heat, melt the butter until it starts to bubble. Add the chili flakes and smoked paprika, stirring until the spices are well combined into the butter, creating a fragrant, spiced sauce.
- Assemble the Dish: Spread a thick layer of the herbal garlic yogurt on a serving plate or shallow bowl. Gently place the poached eggs on top of the yogurt. Drizzle the spiced butter sauce over the eggs and yogurt.
- Garnish and Serve: Add additional fresh mint and dill leaves as garnish along with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper before serving immediately.
Notes
- Use a microplane to grate garlic finely to avoid overpowering the yogurt sauce; start with ¼ or ½ a garlic clove and adjust to taste.
- Do not add salt to the poaching water, as it can cause the egg whites to separate.
- Always use fresh eggs for best poaching results.
- To make the dish milder, substitute chili flakes with sweet paprika in the spiced butter sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg
