Turkish Cilbir – A garlicky yoghurt base, topped with browned chilli butter and Poached Eggs. A simple breakfast with gorgeous results!
My son decided to wake up super early today and cry his head off, really loudly. He is generally very loud anyway but this morning, he hit new decibels. He doesn’t do it often so I jolted out of bed in a panic. Two words. Blanket Issues. Anyway, it took me an hour to get him to sleep and then I couldn’t get back to sleep. Sleepless nights are such a thrilling part of parenthood.
People always say that the hand that makes the food is important. One person with the same recipe can make it completely different to another person. I completely agree. That is why you can sometimes tell who has made a dish simply by catching a whiff of it and the reason that a mothers touch is so special. Also I think everyone can cook but there is a lot of unnecessary food snobbery/competitivevness around. Also as with anything, those with a passion for it excel at it and some people just don’t care enough about making food. You excel at what you put your attention onto.
Cilbir
Whether I make this for breakfast, brunch or lunch I thoroughly enjoy it. I have been making this for a couple of years now but didn’t upload it to the blog because i found it really difficult to make it look pretty on camera if i’m honest!
For example..Here I had added a little lemon to the yoghurt so it split slightly!
Cilbir is a really really simple dish but so effective. It is a lovely dish to have on cold mornings because despite the cool yoghurt, it feels like a warm hug inside.
How to make Turkish Eggs
It is made by gently warming yoghurt with garlic, salt and pepper whilst lightly browning butter with Aleppo chilli flakes in a seperate pan whilst poaching eggs in a pot. This is all going on at the same time so it is important to be organised.
Cilbir is a really really simple dish but so effective. It is a lovely dish to have on cold mornings because despite the cool yoghurt, it feels like a warm hug inside.
What makes it so special
With cooking sometimes it is the smallest things that make a difference and like I always say, sometimes it is just a sprinkle of salt, the toasting of seeds, the squeeze of lemon juice or that drizzle of a good quality olive oil that takes a dish go from ok to epic. Sometimes it is presentation that does that. Something I am not skilled at. I wish I was able to present dishes beautifully but hey I am getting better. This dish is a perfect example of simple small things making a big difference. Butter and Chilli flakes make this dish taste amazing.
Other Egg Dishes:
Braised Eggs and Butterbean Shakshuka
Egg, Mushroom, Potato and Spinach Hash
Middle Eastern Shakshuka with Burrata or Feta
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Turkish Cilbir - Poached Eggs in Yoghurt
Turkish Cilbir - A garlicky yoghurt base, topped with browned chilli butter and topped with Poached Eggs. A simple breakfast with gorgeous results!
Ingredients
- 250 g Greek Yoghurt
- 1 - 2 Garlic Cloves Crushed
- Salt & Pepper
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 tsp Aleppo Pepper Turkish Chilli Flakes
- 1 ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
- 3 Large Eggs
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
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Add the yoghurt, garlic and a little salt & pepper to a bowl over a pot filled with around 1 inch water. Gently warm over a very low heat and then stir together. Remove from heat.
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Melt the butter in a pan over a medium high heat until it turns golden brown. Remove from heat and add olive oil. Whisk in the Aleppo Falkes/chilli and smoked paprika, then remove from the heat. It will continue to brown a little once removed from the heat.
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Fill a large wide pan with water, bring to a simmer then turn down the heat to medium low. Crack 1 egg into a fine mesh strainer over a cup to remove the stringy whites. Then add to the pot with lemon juice. Repeat with the next egg. Turn the heat righ down and poach for 3 minutes and transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
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Divide the warm yoghurt between bowls and top with eggs. Spoon over the chilli butter and eat with crusty bread.
Recipe Notes
Use cold eggs in this recipe. They are easier to poach.
Adapted from Nigella.com
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