Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma fell in love with this food combo the first time she tried it. “Pronounced chil-bur, this dish is quite simply poached eggs on a garlicky yogurt sauce, drizzled with hot, spiced butter,” the author and food advocate writes in her new book Good Food, Healthy Planet: Your Kitchen Companion to Simple, Practical, Sustainable Cooking. “It is often served with fermented sourdough bread or warm multigrain pita. I remember being skeptical when I first tried this dish – eggs and yogurt, together? Who would have thought this unexpected (to me) yet uncomplicated combination would create an incredible burst of flavour?”
Turkish-Style Eggs
Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma's recipe for cilbir (Turkish poached eggs served with a garlicky yogurt sauce and spiced butter).
Ingredients
Yogurt Sauce
- 2 cups plain yogurt lightly whisked
- 3 garlic cloves thinly grated
- ¼ cup finely chopped dill approx.
- salt and pepper to taste
Poached Eggs
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 8 eggs
Hot Spiced Butter
- 8 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp finely chopped orange bell peppers
- ½ tsp Aleppo chili flakes or another mild variety
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper or another spicy chili pepper variety
Instructions
Yogurt Sauce
- Stir the ingredients together, leaving some dill to use as a garnish later. Taste. The sauce should be bright, garlicky, salty and tangy, all at once. Put the mixture in a small saucepan on low heat until warm, 5 minutes. Note: overheating will curdle the yogurt.
Poached Eggs
- Fill a large saucepan about 3 inches deep with room-temperature water. Add the vinegar and bring the water to a rolling boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low, so only a few bubbles are visible on the water’s surface.
- Break the eggs 1 at a time into a small bowl or ramekin and gently tip each egg into the pot. You may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Poach the eggs until the whites firm up but the yolk is still soft inside, 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a plate.
Hot Spiced Butter
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium heat until it starts to foam and turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the bell peppers. Let them cook and soften for about 5 minutes. Add the chili flakes and cayenne pepper and stir until the colour is uniform. Turn the heat off quickly to avoid burning.
- To serve, divide the warm yogurt among 4 bowls; you need just under 1⁄2 cup for each serving. Swirl the mixture around using the back of a spoon. Top each bowl with 2 poached eggs, side by side. Spoon about 2 tbsp of butter on top and around the eggs and garnish with chopped dill.
Notes
- Serve with sourdough bread or multigrain pita for scooping and mopping. You’ll need it.
- Tip: Double-batch the spiced butter. Refrigerate what’s left and reheat in the microwave for a quick weekday breakfast.
