published Aug 09, 2024 One of the most popular breakfasts in Turkey, Çilbir combines some of the foods we often serve during the first meal of the day here in the United States: eggs and yogurt. Together, Turkish eggs with yogurt offer a lot of protein, calcium, and vitamin B-12 — three great nutrients to start your day with. Not to mention it’s delicious! The rich, fatty yolk beautifully contrasts the tangy yogurt. It’s topped off with a bit of melted butter that’s simmered with red chili flakes for a little spice. Çilbir is usually served with some kind of bread to scoop up all of that sauce. My first pick would be homemade Bazlama (pictured), pita, pide, simit, etc. You could also serve it with rice. For a similar dish with a little more heat, check out Moroccan shakshuka next!
Recommended Tools
Pot & Saucepan Fine Mesh Sieve – The easiest way to separate a yolk from the white (especially for poaching, when you don’t want to risk breaking the yolk) is by cracking the egg into the sieve. The white will strain out, leaving the yolk behind. Slotted Spoon – To transfer the yolks from the pot while removing as much of the water as possible.
Storing and Reheating
With runny yolks and melted butter in play, this is not a good recipe for leftovers. The only piece that’s worth saving is the sauce, which can be kept in the fridge for up to a week. However, that’s the quickest part of the recipe so you might as well make it fresh.
Eggs – I tend to make two servings of cilbir at a time, one egg per serving. However, nothing’s stopping you from adding two to your plate! Greek Yogurt – Thinned out with a bit of milk. I recommend using full-fat Greek yogurt for a rich, tangy sauce. Garlic – This is one of the defining flavors of this cilbir recipe. Finely mince one clove or add ½ teaspoon of jarred garlic. White Vinegar & Salt – We’re not adding vinegar and salt to the water for flavor! Poaching in water with these two acidic ingredients forces the whites coating the yolk to quickly set, which helps the yolks keep their shape while simmering. Chili Flakes & Butter – The spicy chili flakes are mixed into hot, melted butter to increase the pepper’s intensity. Aleppo or pul biber chili flakes would be the traditional options, but you can use red chili flakes or paprika which are a little more readily available in your average grocery store. Dried Mint – This optional ingredient adds a nice, fresh note to this cilbir recipe. Those who dislike mint could opt for cilantro or dried parsley to finish off their Turkish eggs with yogurt.
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