Çilbir (Turkish Eggs And Yogurt)
3
- Prep Time15 min
- Total Time30 min
- Makes4 Servings
Produced by Aimee Nishitoba; photo, Christie Vuong; food stylist, Sage Dakota; prop stylist, Nicole Billark.
I love making breakfast for dinner, and whipping up çilbir, a Turkish dish typically made with cool garlicky yogurt and silky soft-poached eggs, is a quick and nourishing way to do it. To speed up the process even more, I make soft-boiled eggs in advance. I also add dill and parsley for a grassy, lemony zip to cut through the butter and yolks.
Ingredients
6 to 8 large eggs, boiled for 6 to 7 min and chilled in the refrigerator
Garlicky Yogurt
2 ¼ cups Greek yogurt
2 tbsp chopped dill
1 garlic clove, peeled and grated into a paste
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp kosher salt
Spiced Butter
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tsp Aleppo pepper (see tip)
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
Salad
3 Persian cucumbers, chopped
2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 to 3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tsp kosher salt
To Serve
3 tbsp chopped dill
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Olives
Simit (see tip)
Instructions
Carefully peel soft-boiled eggs and slice each in half. (The yolks should be partially set.) Set aside until they are room temperature.
Garlicky Yogurt: Meanwhile, whip yogurt with 2 tbsp dill, grated garlic, lemon zest and 1 tsp salt in a medium bowl using a balloon whisk until fluffy, 1 to 2 min. Set aside.
Spiced Butter: Melt butter with Aleppo pepper, 1 tsp salt and cumin seeds in a small saucepan set over medium. Cook until slightly brown and nutty, 2 to 3 min. When butter foams, stir in 2 tbsp oil and set aside.
Salad: Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, mint, 3 tbsp oil, lemon juice, 1 tbsp dill, 1 tbsp parsley and 2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Season with pepper.
To serve, divide garlicky yogurt onto four plates and spread, then top with 3 to 4 egg halves. Dribble spiced butter overtop, then sprinkle with more dill and parsley. Serve with salad, olives and simit.
Kitchen tips
- No pre-boiled eggs? No problem! Poach eggs instead for a warmer dish. Prep yogurt and salad while the water heats up for poaching.
- Aleppo pepper is a spicy and slightly sweet powdered spice that can be found in the Mediterranean or Middle Eastern aisle of most grocery stores. It may be substituted with a 50-50 mix of sweet paprika and cayenne pepper.
- Simit is a ring-shaped sesame bread popular in Turkish cuisine. Fresh crusty bread also works well.
Master the art of the soft-boiled egg with this handy guide.
Find more quick and delicious weeknight dinners, including Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale and Halloumi Salad and Pizza Mac And Cheese.
Chantal Braganza is a writer and editor living in Toronto. She is deputy editor, food at Chatelaine, a cookbook nerd, lover of vintage dish ware, and currently training for yoga teacher certification. Her first book, Story of Your Mother, is out with Strange Light Press.
