Turkish Eggs with Spicy Chili Oil and Yogurt Sauce Recipe
Turkish Eggs, or Çılbır, is a flavorful and comforting breakfast dish featuring creamy garlic yogurt topped with perfectly poached eggs and a spicy, fragrant chili oil. This quick and easy recipe blends tangy yogurt sauce with smoky paprika and cumin-spiced chili oil, finished with fresh dill for garnish. A deliciously elegant dish best served with toasted bread for dipping.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Turkish
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Yogurt Sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Chili Oil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Poached Eggs and Garnish
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Make yogurt sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine the plain yogurt, grated garlic, dried dill, and smoked paprika. Whisk everything together thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and evenly blended.
- Make chili oil: Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the chili flakes and cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until the oil is fragrant. Then add the smoked paprika, ground cumin, and salt. Stir well to combine, then remove from heat and set aside to infuse.
- Poach the eggs: Fill a medium pot with water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Crack each egg carefully into a small bowl or ladle, then gently slide it into the simmering water. Cook each egg for about 3 minutes for soft poached with runny yolk, or 4-5 minutes for a firmer yolk. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs carefully and drain off excess water.
- Assemble: Spread the prepared yogurt sauce evenly onto two serving plates. Place two poached eggs on top of the yogurt on each plate. Drizzle the warm chili oil generously over the eggs and yogurt.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh dill. Serve the Turkish eggs immediately, ideally accompanied by toasted bread to scoop up the sauce and runny yolks.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh, high-quality eggs for poaching to ensure the whites hold well.
- Adjust the amount of chili flakes to control the spice level.
- Make sure the yogurt is at room temperature to prevent it from curdling when drizzled with warm chili oil.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with toasted sourdough or rustic crusty bread.
- You can substitute dried dill with fresh dill inside the yogurt sauce if preferred.