Cilbir (Turkish Eggs) with Herbs and Harissa
Cilbir—a Turkish egg dish—is a simple vegetarian breakfast: poached eggs in garlic yogurt with herbs and spicy butter. I like to make it when I want to change things up from my beloved shakshuka and eggs in purgatory. However, my “signature” cilbir recipe isn’t as quick and easy as cilbir can be, since I add brown butter and crispy shallots.
So, I wanted to create a cilbir recipe that is truly quick, simple, and easy for those extra lazy weekend brunch days. I’ve also been wanting to make a Moroccan-inspired version, since I live in Morocco. Harissa, a North African pepper paste, was an obvious choice for the spicy butter topping. It adds a little bit of a tang to the dish as well as heat.
I also wanted the herbs to reflect Moroccan cooking, so I chose mint and cilantro. I love these two herbs together, and I add A LOT of them in this recipe. I really like mixing the herbs into the yogurt when I make cilbir. It allows me to use a ton of fresh herbs without it looking like a pile of leaves!
Finally, cilbir really must be served with bread or flatbread. It just isn’t the same without it! I always have it with a fresh baguette from my favorite French bakery, but you can use any bread you like.
Notes on the ingredients:
Yogurt: I use full fat Greek yogurt and I recommend you do, too. It is creamier and has a milder tanginess factor than types with less fat. Let’s be real: nonfat Greek yogurt isn’t that good and there’s nowhere to hide that in a dish this simple.
Herbs: Your mint and cilantro must be fresh! Dry herbs will not work.
Butter and salt: Since there’s a lot of salt in harissa, I recommend unsalted butter. If you only have salted, it’s not a big deal; just use less salt in the yogurt mixture.
Harissa: You can adjust the amount to your taste. Just keep in mind that harissa is really salty, so don’t use TOO much. If you’re a spicy heat fiend and want to burn your mouth off, add red pepper flakes, cayenne, or some other hot dried pepper and don’t keep adding harissa or hot sauce. It WILL get too salty really quickly!
Recipe:
Cilbir (Turkish Eggs) with Herbs and Harissa
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine the yogurt, garlic, herbs, and a pinch of salt. Divide between two bowls (or however many servings you're making) and set aside.
- Put a pot of water on to boil for the poached eggs. Use whatever technique works for you! But if you're not sure, here's how I do it: bring water to a boil with a tablespoon or so of light-colored vinegar. Crack the egg into a ramekin or small bowl. Stir the water furiously (not so much you're splashing around everywhere, but enough to make a vortex) and pour the egg into the middle of the vortex. When the whites are firm but the yolk is still soft, remove the egg from the water with a slatted spoon and set it on some folded paper towels to dry. Repeat for the second egg.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave. Stir in the harissa.
- Nestle the poached eggs into the yogurt mixtures. Pour the harissa butter over them. Top additional herbs for garnish if desired. Serve immediately with bread of your choice.
Recommendations:
Eat with a quality bread you like. I use a baguette from my favorite bakery.
Have for a nice weekend vegetarian brunch when you want to try something new!
Enjoy with a cup of black tea loaded with sugar–Turkish-style!
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