Çılbır (Turkish Poached Eggs in Garlic Yogurt)

Method

1. 1
   • Greek yogurt300 g
   • garlic1
   • salt½ tsp
   • egg4

   Warm the garlic yogurt — Whisk the yogurt with the crushed garlic and half the salt until smooth and just pourable. Set the bowl over a pan of freshly boiled water for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, so it loses its chill without ever getting hot — fridge-cold yogurt under a hot egg is the classic mistake.

   ⏱5 min
2. 2
   • salt½ tsp
   • egg4
   • apple cider vinegar1 tbsp

   Poach the eggs — Bring a wide pan of water to the barest simmer — a few bubbles only — and add the vinegar and the rest of the salt. Stir a gentle whirlpool, slide the eggs in one at a time and poach for 3 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks still wobble under a fingertip.

   ⏱3 min
3. 3
   • egg4
   • butter50 g
   • aleppo pepper1 tsp
   • paprika½ tsp

   Make the chilli butter — While the eggs poach, melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat until it foams and smells nutty. Take it off the heat and stir in the aleppo pepper and paprika — they should sizzle for a second and stain the butter bright red without darkening.

4. 4
   • Greek yogurt300 g
   • egg4

   Spread the yogurt and settle the eggs — Spread the warmed yogurt across two shallow bowls, pushing it out to the rim with the back of a spoon to leave a shallow well in the middle. Lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon, blot them on a clean cloth so they don't water the yogurt down, and settle two into each bowl.

5. 5
   • Greek yogurt300 g
   • egg4
   • butter50 g
   • fresh dill1 tbsp
   • black pepper¼ tsp
   • pita bread2

   Finish with the red butter — Spoon the red butter over the eggs and let it pool at the edges, then scatter with dill and black pepper. Serve at once with warm pita torn into strips for scooping — the yolk, the yogurt and the butter are meant to be mopped up together.