Smoked Turkish Eggs
Posted on: January 15, 2023. Updated on: June 30, 2023.
by Carolina Gelen
Turkish eggs, also known as Çılbır is a spicy, creamy, perfectly balanced breakfast to start your day. It uses minimal ingredients for maximal flavor and the recipe is so easy to make, I’m sure you’ll be able to eyeball it the next time you try it.
The best part about it is that it takes less than 15 minutes to make, yes, including the smoking part. I like to smoke the yogurt for an extra depth of flavor. Trust me on this, you don’t need one of those expensive smokers you see chefs and bartenders use, all you need is a heatproof surface such as a marble platter, a cast iron pan or a baking sheet and something to cover the dish with while smoking, whether it’s a glass cake cover, an aluminum foil sheet or another pan. Check out the instructions for more details.
Serve with a thick slice of fried or toasted bread and enjoy!
Smoked Turkish Eggs
Servings: 1
Prep: 12 min
Cook: 3 min
Total: 15 min
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups full-fat yogurt
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 2 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, substitute with any chile flakes you have on hand
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 or 2 eggs
- Bread, for serving
- 3 herb sprigs, for smoking the yogurt, such as rosemary, thyme, oregano or sage sprigs
Instructions
1. Combine the yogurt, garlic, dill and a pinch of salt in a serving bowl. To smoke the yogurt, first, dry the herbs: microwave them for 30 seconds or quickly broil them until dry. Place the bowl over a heatproof surface such as a marble platter, a baking sheet, or pot. Place that item on your stove (stove’s not on). Light the dry herbs on fire, blow out the fire, then place the the herbs on the surface. Cover with a glass cake cover, aluminum foil or a lid for 30 seconds to 1 minute, to smoke the yogurt. Remove the cover, then set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-heat. Once it starts sizzling, remove the pan off heat and add the Aleppo pepper and cumin seeds.
3. To poach the eggs, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, you should be left with a gentle simmer. Season with a pinch of salt. Crack each egg over a mesh sieve, this will get rid of the loose egg whites that give poached eggs that stringiness. Create a vortex in the water by stirring it using a spoon or spatula. Drop each egg in the vortex and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until the egg white looks opaque. Lift the eggs with a spoon and gently touch the yolk with your finger, it should feel bouncy and wobbly to the touch (for a runny yolk).
4. Place the eggs over the yogurt in the serving bowl, then top with a pinch of salt and the infused butter. Serve with toast or fried bread and enjoy.
I can’t wait to make this! I usually eat yogurt for breakfast but I love smoky, chili oil, garlic dill. Going to be my next brunch.❤️
So happy to heart that, let me know what you think 🙂
This looks lovely. What herbs did you use for smoking the yogurt?
Good question! I just updated the recipe with more suggestions on what herbs to use, I used dry oregano sprigs 🙂
Delicious ! I’m dying to cook it!
Hummm .. vivement dans mon assiette ! Que c’est beau, coulant , coloré. !
merci beaucoup, Patricia 🙂
OMG – Yummy 😍 Would be perfect for a brunch or light lunch as well!
Devine!!!
Just made Chile oil today (Bon Apetit’s recipe). So excited to try this
OMG so delicious , I am hooked now! You ruined me!!! Lol
What kind of bread are you using in your video. Looks so good!
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks, I used my No-Knead bread. Here is my recipe https://carolinagelen.com/easy-no-knead-bread/
This is one of my favorite things to make my husband for a Sunday breakfast. I can’t wait to see how he likes it with smoked yogurt. I can’t wait to try it as well.
I am having trouble understanding the steps to smoke the yogurt. First you make the yogurt, then dry herbs – then we light them and blow them out and put on the surface of the yogurt before covering? Looking forward to making.
Hi Bianca,
No worries, this is one of those easy steps that is hard to understand unless you see it.
Checkout the video linked here for demonstration.
Best,Carolina
This was so good! This is going to become a breakfast staple for my house for sure
I enjoy your videos so much. You have such a humble taste. I as a chef from a hard beginning, can resonate with your flavors and passion. Keep doing what you do it brings many smiles to my life. The recipes are fabulous thank you for inspiring. -PK
This comment made my whole week, I’m so grateful for your kind words!!! Thank you for being here:)
Mal posso esperar para fazer isso! Deve ser maravilhoso. ❤
So no vinegar is needed when poaching the egg?
Indeed! No need for it 🙂
Looks great, I love middle eastern food but struggle to get ideas so subscribing here should help out I reckon.
I only discovered you now, and I like what I see!
Looks delicious
Looks delicious, but not sure an egg cracked through a sieve will come out intact to poach.
I love your Instagram!!!
Hope to buy ur book soon
🤩🤩
Hi, I love all your recipes and can’t wait to try this one.
I do have a question: does the yogurt you use has any kind of sugar or type of sweetener?
Thank you!