Turkish eggs: what cilbir is and how to make it at home

Turkish eggs, known in Turkey as cilbir, are poached eggs served on a layer of garlic yoghurt and topped with chilli butter. The warm eggs and butter meet cool, tangy yoghurt, and you scoop the lot up with bread. This guide explains the dish, its origins, the method and how to serve it.

What are Turkish eggs?

Turkish eggs are poached eggs laid over thick yoghurt flavoured with garlic and drizzled with melted butter coloured by Aleppo pepper or paprika. The Turkish name is cilbir (spelled çılbır in Turkish), and the dish is traditionally eaten for breakfast or brunch.

Most versions include herbs such as dill or mint, a sprinkle of salt and flat bread or toast on the side. The mix of hot, cool, creamy, sharp and spicy makes it distinct from other egg dishes on a cafe menu. Related dishes include shakshuka, which bakes eggs in tomato sauce, and menemen, a Turkish scramble of eggs, tomato and green pepper.

Where does cilbir come from?

Cilbir is a Turkish dish with a long history in Ottoman and Anatolian cooking, and food writers often link it to the old practice of serving poached eggs with yoghurt. Exact dates and the first recipe are disputed, so treat any single origin story with caution.

What is widely agreed is that egg and yoghurt dishes appear across Turkey, the Balkans and the wider region. The cafe version of Turkish eggs, with Aleppo pepper butter, spread through restaurants in the United Kingdom and Australia over the last decade or so, and Melbourne brunch menus are a common place to find it.

What do you need to make Turkish eggs?

You need eggs, thick yoghurt, garlic, butter, chilli flakes or paprika, salt and bread. Fresh herbs, lemon and a splash of vinegar for the poaching water are useful extras.

How do you make garlic yoghurt for Turkish eggs?

To make garlic yoghurt, crush the garlic with a pinch of salt into a paste, then stir it through thick yoghurt until smooth. Let the bowl sit out for about 20 minutes so it loses its fridge chill.

Use full-fat Greek-style yoghurt because it holds its shape under the eggs. Thin yoghurt turns watery and slides around the plate. If the yoghurt is very thick, loosen it with a teaspoon of lukewarm water or a squeeze of lemon. Spread it in a shallow bowl and make a slight dip in the centre, which will cradle the eggs.

How do you poach the eggs?

Poach the eggs in barely simmering water for about three minutes, so the whites are set and the yolks stay runny. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and rest them briefly on a paper towel.

1. Fill a wide pan with about 8 cm of water and add the vinegar.
2. Bring it to a gentle simmer, with only small bubbles rising.
3. Crack each egg into a small cup, then lower it into the water.
4. Cook for three minutes, or four for a firmer yolk.
5. Lift out with a slotted spoon and touch the base on a paper towel to remove water.

Fresh eggs hold together better, because older whites are thinner and spread into wisps. A full method with tips on swirling and timing is covered in a separate poached egg guide on this site.

How do you make the chilli butter?

Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat until it foams, then take it off the heat and stir in the Aleppo pepper. The butter will turn a deep red and smell toasty within about 30 seconds.

Do not leave the pan on the heat after adding the chilli, because the spice burns quickly and turns bitter. Some cooks add a pinch of cumin or a few dried mint leaves. The butter should be hot enough to sizzle slightly against the yoghurt, yet not so hot that it cooks it.

How do you assemble and serve Turkish eggs?

Place the eggs on the yoghurt, spoon the chilli butter over the top, scatter herbs and serve at once with warm bread. Assembly takes under a minute, so have the bread toasted before you poach.

1. Spread the garlic yoghurt in two shallow bowls.
2. Set two poached eggs on each.
3. Spoon the hot chilli butter over the eggs and yoghurt.
4. Add chopped dill, a pinch of flaky salt and a squeeze of lemon if you like.
5. Serve with toasted sourdough or flatbread.

Turkish eggs vs shakshuka: what is the difference?

Turkish eggs pair poached eggs with cool garlic yoghurt and spiced butter, while shakshuka bakes eggs in a hot spiced tomato and capsicum sauce. One is creamy and tangy, the other is saucy and rich.

Is Turkish eggs on the Mr Grumpy’s Cafe menu?

Reviewers name Turkish eggs among the dishes at Mr Grumpy’s Cafe in Mulgrave, and a recent Google reviewer reported ordering it. The dish does not appear on the Uber Eats listing the guide read on 14 November 2026, so no price is recorded here.

The Uber Eats listing, read on that date, shows other egg dishes such as Eggs Your Way at A$14.50 and the Grumpy Omelette at A$17.50. Menus change, so check the menu page for what the guide has recorded and the hours and location page before visiting. This site is an independent guide and does not take orders, so confirm availability directly with the cafe.

What can go wrong with Turkish eggs?

The usual problems are cold eggs, split or watery yoghurt and burnt chilli butter. Each has a simple fix.

• Eggs go cold: warm the bowls with hot water first and poach just before serving.
• Yoghurt is watery: use thick, full-fat yoghurt and drain it in a sieve for 15 minutes if needed.
• Butter turns bitter: take the pan off the heat before adding the chilli.
• Whites are wispy: use the freshest eggs and keep the water at a gentle simmer.
• Dish tastes flat: add salt to the yoghurt and finish with lemon.

Common questions

Before you go, check the Mr Grumpy Cafe guide for the current hours and the menu.

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Mr Grumpy's Cafe itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.