Çılbır (Turkish Poached Eggs on Garlic Yogurt)
چلبر (لہسن والے دہی پر ترکی انڈے)
Çılbır (say "chil-bir") has been eaten in Turkey since Ottoman times and is one of the simplest and most striking breakfasts you can make: cool, garlicky yogurt spread in a bowl, two soft poached eggs on top, and butter heated with poured over so it runs red into the white yogurt. The contrast of hot and cold, rich and tangy, is the whole point. Use bread to mop up every bit.
- ⏱ Total: 15 min
- Prep: 5 min
- Cook: 10 min
- Medium
- Serves 2
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Mix the yogurt, grated garlic and salt until smooth. Spread it in two shallow bowls and leave at room temperature; it shouldn't be fridge-cold.
Bring the water and vinegar to a gentle simmer in a : small bubbles, not a rolling boil. Crack each egg into a small cup.
Stir the water to make a gentle whirlpool and slide in the eggs, one or two at a time. Poach for 3 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks still soft. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Place two eggs on each bowl of yogurt.
Melt the butter in a small pan until it foams and smells nutty. Take it off the heat, stir in the pul biber and mint, and immediately spoon it over the eggs and yogurt.
Serve at once with warm bread.
Kitchen notes
Fresh eggs hold together in the water; older eggs spread into wispy strands. If your eggs aren't very fresh, strain them through a sieve first to drop the loose white.
Don't use fridge-cold yogurt. It cools the eggs too quickly; room temperature is right.
If poaching feels tricky, soft-boil the eggs for 6 minutes, peel them and halve them over the yogurt.
An Ottoman breakfast
Çılbır is recorded in Ottoman palace kitchens and is still on the menu of breakfast cafés across Istanbul. It’s unusual among breakfasts because it combines cold and hot on the same plate: the yogurt is cool, the eggs are warm and the butter is sizzling.
Three simple parts
Garlic yogurt. Thick, plain yogurt with a little finely grated garlic and salt. Pakistani dahi works well; hang it in a muslin cloth for 30 minutes if it’s runny.
Poached eggs. Water at a gentle simmer with a spoon of vinegar, which helps the whites set quickly. Swirl the water, slide the egg in, and give it about three minutes. The yolk should still run when cut.
Red butter. Butter heated until it foams, then mixed with off the heat. It’s the same idea as a poured over daal, just with butter and chili flakes instead of oil and cumin.
Serving
Serve straight away with warm bread for dipping. It’s a lovely weekend breakfast and, with a Turkish salad, a light dinner.
Questions people ask
Can I use desi eggs?
Yes, and they're excellent for çılbır because of their deep orange yolks. They're usually smaller, so poach for about 2½ minutes.
Is raw garlic too strong?
Grate it very finely and use only one small clove. Leave the yogurt to sit for 10 minutes and the garlic mellows.
What do I serve with it?
Crusty bread or simit to dip, and Turkish tea. It's a full breakfast on its own.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 360
- Protein
- 18 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
