Turkish Eggs (Çılbır) with Chili Oil and Herbs

Çılbır is one of those dishes that looks wildly impressive and takes almost no time. A cool, garlicky yogurt base sits under soft poached eggs, and a pool of crimson chili oil poured over the top soaks into everything as you eat. The trick here is swapping the traditional cow's milk yogurt for a good coconut yogurt, which keeps it creamy and tangy without the dairy. Get the yogurt to room temperature before you plate, otherwise the contrast with the warm eggs is too sharp and the whole thing cools down too fast. Pile on fresh dill and mint, hit it with some bright lemon zest, and tear off a piece of flatbread to drag through the lot. It photographs beautifully and tastes even better.

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups Full-fat coconut yogurt, brought to room temperature
  • 4 cloves Garlic, finely minced or pressed
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 tsp Lemon zest, finely zested with a microplane
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 10 large Eggs
  • 2 tbsp White wine vinegar
  • 6 tbsp Olive oil
  • 2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp Dried red chili flakes
  • ½ tsp Sweet smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp Margarine
  • ¼ cup Fresh dill, roughly torn
  • ¼ cup Fresh mint leaves, torn or left whole
  • 5 pieces Flatbread or pita, warmed

Instructions

  1. Take 2½ cups (600 g) full-fat coconut yogurt out of the fridge now. It needs to sit at room temperature for the entire prep time so it's not fridge-cold when you plate up. Set it on the counter and leave it.
  2. Zest 1 large lemon using a microplane to get 2 tsp lemon zest. Set the zest aside on a small plate. Then squeeze the same lemon to get 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice and set that aside separately, you'll use both.
  3. Peel and finely mince 4 cloves garlic (or press them through a garlic press). Add the garlic to a mixing bowl along with the room-temperature 2½ cups (600 g) coconut yogurt, the 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp salt. Stir everything together until smooth and well combined. Taste it, it should be tangy, garlicky, and well-seasoned. Set the bowl aside.
  4. Fill your large wide saucepan with about 3 inches (7–8 cm) of water. Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) white wine vinegar and a good pinch of salt, then bring it to a very gentle simmer over medium heat. You want small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil. This will take about 6–8 minutes.
  5. While the water comes up to temperature, make the chili oil. Put 6 tbsp (90 ml) olive oil and 2 tbsp (28 g) margarine into the small saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the margarine has melted and the oil is warm (about 2 minutes), add 2 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes, ½ tsp dried red chili flakes, and ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika. Swirl the pan gently. The spices will sizzle quietly and turn the oil a deep, vivid red. After about 60 seconds, take it off the heat. Don't let it go past that point or the spices will taste bitter. Set aside.
  6. Warm 5 flatbreads now, wrap them in foil and pop them in your toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5 minutes, or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds per bread. Keep them covered so they stay soft.
  7. Check that your poaching water is at a gentle simmer. Crack 2 eggs into two separate small cups or ramekins (never crack directly into the water). Use a spoon to stir the water in a slow circle to create a gentle whirlpool, then tip both eggs in, one at a time, close to the water surface. Let them cook undisturbed for 3 minutes for a runny yolk with set whites. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and rest on a clean plate. Repeat in batches until all 10 eggs are poached. Keep cooked eggs on a warm plate loosely covered with foil.
  8. Divide the garlic yogurt between 5 wide bowls, spreading it out with the back of a spoon to create a generous swoosh. Place 2 poached eggs on top of the yogurt in each bowl.
  9. Spoon the warm chili oil generously over each bowl, letting it pool around and over the eggs. Scatter ¼ cup (10 g) fresh dill and ¼ cup (8 g) fresh mint across all five bowls. Finish with a light dusting of 2 tsp lemon zest divided evenly across the bowls. Serve immediately with the warm flatbreads on the side.