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A plate of Turkish Inspired Eggs (Çılbır) with pitas, salad and coffee on a table.

Turkish Inspired Eggs (Çılbır)

In celebration of World Egg Day, Egg Farmers of Ontario asked me to create an egg dish with an international flair. So, I present my take on çılbır (Turkish Eggs).
A traditional çılbır is poached eggs with yogurt and melted butter, but I made mine using sunny side up eggs with silky, runny, yolks. 
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • ½ stick unsalted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon hot chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon chili flakes
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon diced jalapeno pepper seeds removed
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided 3 & 1
  • 4 large free range eggs

For Serving

Instructions
 

  • Add yogurt, mint, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne into a bowl and mix thoroughly to combine. Set aside at room temperature.
  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin, paprika, and chili powder & flakes. Stir until color is uniform, then turn off heat and set aside.
  • Add the pinch of salt, parsley, and jalapeno into a mortar, then grind together. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine. Set aside
  • Prepare two plates and dollop ½ the yogurt mixture onto each. Use the back of a spoon to spread yogurt out into a bed for the eggs, making ridges to catch the oil. Drizzle on some jalapeno oil.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium to large, nonstick skillet over low heat until slightly shimmering, about 3-4 minutes. Crack an egg into a small ramekin and slowly add it to the skillet; repeat with the other 3 eggs, spacing each egg around the skillet (try not to have them all run together). Cover with a tight lid (or sheet pan) and cook, uninterrupted, until the whites are just set but the yolks are still vibrant & runny, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Place 2 eggs onto each of the prepared yogurt plates. Top with a spoonful or two of the spicy butter.
  • Finish with a sprinkle of Maldon salt & chopped parsley on top.
  • Serve with flatbread or crusty bread and enjoy
Keyword Çılbır, eggs with greek yogurt, Turkish eggs, turkish eggs breakfast, turkish eggs with yogurt, turkish style eggs, World Egg Day
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