All you need to know about Turkish eggs and where to eat this dish in Mumbai

You can keep your eggs Benedictrdquo said an emphatic Nigella Lawson ldquoMy first dreamy mouthful of Turkish eggs and I was utterly soldrdquo It was probably the first time we had heard of this seemingly exotic dish from Turkey This as the British food show host then proceeded to deftly put it together on her TV show Nigella At My Table almost a decade ago And we couldnrsquot have agreed more with Lawson on that count We too were sold on it Without even tasting a single morsel of the delectable looking dish mind you Called cilbir in Turkey this egg preparation is often served cold or at the very least at room temperature Never warm Though recipes around the country vary a bit the basic foundations of cilbir are pretty much the sameA couple of mediumpoached eggs are enrobed in a garlicy yoghurt or labneh then drizzled in chilli butter and sprinkled with fresh herbs like chopped parsley or purslane leaves Served alongside the bagelshaped sesame seedstopped Turkish street bread called simit this dish is akin to a lighter yet intensely flavourful Eastern cousin of the beloved eggs Benedict Though it might seem like a breakfast dish on a trip to Turkey a few years ago we discovered that cilbir is actually eaten for lunch or dinner Our food guide in Istanbul chuckled then ldquoIt gets very tough to eat all that garlicloaded yoghurt and get into a morning meetingrdquoAnd while the aforementioned eggs Benedict and its myriad equally scrumptious iterations mdash like eggs Florentine with spinach and eggs royale with smoked salmon along with their desified versions that feature curry powderenhanced Hollandaise sauce mdash have become a brunch staple here in India Turkish eggs are slowly climbing up the popularity scales Wersquove made it easier for you with our curation of Mumbai eateries to try this at and therersquos even an easytofollow recipe if yoursquod like to whip it up in your home kitchen Bon appetit Or as they say in Turkey ldquoafiyet olsunrdquoTurkish eggs cilbirIngredients2 eggs2 cups water1 tsp vinegarFor yoghurt mixture200 gm hung curd1 tsp grated garlic14 tsp salt14 tsp black pepper14 tsp cumin powder14 tsp chopped dillFor paprikachilli oil23 tbsp salted butter14 tsp cumin powder12 tsp paprika powder1 tsp chilli flakes100 ml oilMethodFill a large saucepan with two cups of water and bring it to boiling point On a medium flame pour in vinegar and let the water be at a gentle simmer Slip the eggs into the pan for three minutes Remove eggs from the water and place on a warm plate For the yoghurt mixture put the hung curd into a bowl with grated garlic Season with salt chopped dill black pepper and cumin powder Mix well and set aside at room temperature For the paprikachilli oil melt butter in a saucepan on a medium flame add oil cumin powder paprika powder and chilli flakes Stir until the colour is uniform Spread the smooth yoghurt mixture onto a deep plate and place the eggs on the yoghurtladen bed Drizzle some paprikachilli oil and season with salt and pepperPalak Shah coowner and recipe developer PlushTry it outThe Nutcracker Fort Garlic yoghurt two poached eggs chilli oil burnt onions paprika and garlic served with pita breadLog on to thenutcrackermumbaiCall 49744970Cost R380Plush Bandra Two poached eggs garlic yoghurt paprikachilli oil and dill Served with multigrain toastLog on to plushcafebandraCall 9167864398Cost Rs 350Coco Cafe Goregaon Labneh two poached eggs copper butter emulsion chopped parsley and degi mirch powderLog on to cafebycococartCall 9820248469Cost Rs 300Moner Bandra Garlic yoghurt two poached eggs chilli oil burnt onions and paprika Served with toasted sourdough breadLog on to moner_mumbaiCall 7770014123Cost Rs 395Donna Deli Bandra Two poached eggs creamy garlic yoghurt and chilli butter Served with brioche bread and chicken sausagesLog on to donnadelibombayCall 977349407Cost Rs 330