two poached eggs on garlic yogurt with red pepper butter in a blue floral bowl.

Last updated: 18 October 2026

Turkish Poached Eggs with Garlic Yogurt

Name: Turkish Poached Eggs with Garlic Yogurt
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1 ⅓ cups (300 g) Yogurt (plain, strained); 1 clove Garlic, finely grated; Table salt, to taste; 4 Eggs (large); Water, for a 3-inch-deep poaching bath, as needed; 1 tbsp Vinegar (white wine); 2 tbsp (30 g) Butter (unsalted); 1 tsp Turkish red pepper flakes

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Çılbır

Çılbır pairs warm poached eggs with thick garlic yogurt and a red-pepper butter drizzle.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 min
Rest: 0
Total: 20 min
Servings: 2

Ingredients

Garlic yogurt

1 ⅓ cups (300 g) Yogurt (plain, strained)
1 clove Garlic, finely grated
Table salt, to taste

Poached eggs

Pepper butter

2 tbsp (30 g) Butter (unsalted)
1 tsp Turkish red pepper flakes

Equipment

Use a deep saucepan 8 inches across and a slotted spoon. A 3-inch water depth is 2 qt in this pan; leave ample headroom.

Method

Stir the yogurt with the garlic and a little salt. Divide between one shallow bowl per serving while preparing the eggs.
Melt the butter over low heat. Remove from the heat, stir in the pul biber and let it color the butter for a few seconds without scorching.
Heat a 3-inch depth of water in a wide pan until gently simmering; add the vinegar. Crack each egg into a cup and slide in two at a time. Keep below a rolling boil. Cook until the whites and yolks are firm, checking from 4 minutes; lift with a slotted spoon and drain. As each pair is ready, assemble and serve it as described in the next step before poaching the next pair.
Place two drained eggs on each yogurt portion and spoon over the pepper butter. Serve immediately.

Cooking guidance

Use the listed vinegar for one poaching bath. Keep that water depth and cook extra eggs in batches when increasing servings; do not multiply vinegar in an unchanged bath.

Prepare the pepper butter before poaching. Serve each portion as its two eggs finish. Firm whites and yolks are the doneness cue; 4 minutes is a starting checkpoint, not a promise of doneness.

Storage & serving

Refrigerate promptly in a covered shallow container at 40°F or below. Do not leave out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Use within 2 days; an earlier ingredient use-by date still applies. Assemble only the portions needed immediately. Refrigerate unused garlic yogurt separately. Reheat any stored cooked eggs to 165°F throughout; their texture will become firmer.