Turkish Eggs or Cilbir is a very nice breakfast and quick too. Make it with Poached Eggs or Sunny Side up Eggs. In the end, it all comes down to a Plate of Room temp Garlic Yogurt, topped with Eggs and Aleppo Butter drizzled over top and served with some buttered toast. It is a very aesthetic looking dish.

Yogurt Sauce

The Yogurt starts with a thick yogurt-like Greek yogurt. To this Garlic & Salt are added with Hot Water to thin it out to a custard consistency. You can add Dill Weed or Parsley or use it to garnish the dish.

Use a small clove of Garlic, this really goes a long way especially with the garlic being minced. Another option is to use half a large garlic clove in the yogurt and chop up the other half to fry with the Aleppo Butter.

Ensure that the Yogurt is at room temp. Add Hot Water to both thin out the Yogurt and assist in bringing it to room temperature.

You don’t need much to plate, just a heaping spoonful placed in the center and then spread out with the back of the spoon.

Any leftover Yogurt can be refrigerated and used again for another serving or you can double the recipe up, for the Eggs & Aleppo Butter. Keeping the Yogurt amounts the same and still have leftovers to make the dish again.

Eggs

Traditionally the Eggs are poached with a bit of Vinegar in the water which assists in setting the egg whites faster. Although sunny-side-up eggs can be used here fried in butter or bacon grease.

How to Poach Eggs

Crack each egg into a fine sieve to drain out water within the whites. Empty the Egg into a small bowl or ramekin to have ready to Poach. Bring a deep skillet filled with 4 inches of water to a boil with 1 Tbl of Vinegar. The Vinegar will help to set the whites faster.

When the water is at a boil, shut the heat off and add the eggs. Cover and leave for about 3 minutes. Then scoop the eggs out and place them on a plate with yogurt spread out on the plate.

How to make Sunny Side Up Eggs

Check out my post on Sunny Side-up Eggs that come out perfect every time. I often go back and forth with Sunny Side or Poached Eggs.

Aleppo Butter

The Aleppo Butter is really simple too. Just add Aleppo Pepper (Hot or Sweet) to some Butter and cook in the pan for a few minutes, just until foamy. Then drizzle it over the plated Yogurt & Eggs.

Some will add the addition of Paprika or Cumin. For other dishes where the butter can be drizzled over Potatoes, Fries, Grilled Meats, and even used for Pav Bhaji then add in a whole array of Herbs & Spices including Paprika, Cumin, and Methi Leaves.

The Aleppo Pepper can be found at your local Middle Eastern Grocery Store.

Garnishing Cilbir

Garnish the dish with Parsley, Dill Weed, Green Onions, or Chives.

Toast with Cilbir

Serve the dish with your favorite Toasted & Buttered Bread or English Muffins.

How to Spice up Cilbir

If more heat is desired in the dish, there are a few options.

• Cayenne Pepper or Black/White Pepper to the Yogurt Sauce
• Hot Sauce or Chili Flakes to the Aleppo Butter
• Add finely chopped Jalapeno to the Yogurt or the Aleppo Butter
• Kashmir Chili or Deggi Mirch added or in place of Paprika in the Butter

JAH Cilbir version

The recipe below is the standard version, and it is very good all by itself. I got to throw my own twist in there though for the flavors I seek.

The main thing that stood out to me is that the yogurt softens the Egg & Butter flavors in the overall dish. With an Egg dish that has runny egg yolks and toast, I really want those flavors present. The yogurt really contributes a garlicky creaminess that is really enjoyable.

So how do we kick this up a notch? We add in 2 key ingredients that really pronounce the Egg & Butter flavors throughout the entire dish.

Butter Popcorn Seasoning

Just a small amount added to the Aleppo Butter really pronounces the butter flavors. Add more or less depending on taste.

Black Salt

Just a small amount added to the Yogurt is amazing. It contributes the salt aspect but really ups the egg flavor which is what I sought. For me, it brings the eggs back to the centerpiece. Add more or less depending on taste.