Seven trending recipes that kept us in the kitchen through lockdown

27 March is the day South Africa’s national coronavirus lockdown officially kicked in. And, with millions of South Africans suddenly house-bound and with no access to fast food or restaurants, we wasted no time to start experimenting in the kitchen.

Here are seven food and drinks that trended during the lockdown. 

RECIPE: DALGONA COFFEE 

Dalgona Coffee is a South Korean invention; a four-ingredient coffee recipe that trended on TikTok during the lockdown. The recipe involves whipping together equal portions of instant coffee, hot water and sugar until it becomes creamy and light in colour, then adding it to a glass of hot or cold milk. 

Here are three alternate ways of recreating the Dalgona coffee.

RECIPE: BANANA BREAD

One of the most popular baking outcomes of the lockdown was banana bread. Banana bread is dead easy to bake and requires minimal effort. 

Banana bread ranked fourth in South Africa’s 2020 Google trend report in the top trending recipes category. Here’s a recap on how to make banana bread.

RECIPE: PINEAPPLE BEER

Pineapple beer was a lockdown staple for some. Image: Adobe Stock

In March, President Cyril Ramaphosa imposed an alcohol ban that left South Africans unable to buy booze for month on end. This resulted in homemade replacements such as pineapple beer, which only needs three ingredients.

Pineapple beer ranked third in South Africa’s Google trends report in the top trending recipes category at the time. 

Here’s how to make your own pineapple beer.

PIZZA DOUGH IN A FLASH

Homemade was the theme of the kitchen in 2020 and Google delivered. Pizza dough was the number one trending recipe that was most searched by South Africans. 

Jamie Oliver has a simple five-ingredient pizza dough recipe that only requires flour or semolina flour, salt, yeast, caster sugar and olive oil. 

NAAN BREAD TO ELEVATE ANY CURRY

Naan bread is an Indian flatbread that can be fried on a pan. There are many ways to make naan bread and most recipes only require flour and plain yogurt. Naan bread is great with curries.

RECIPE: CINNABON

With Cinnabon outlets being closed, food groups across South Africa were sharing their kitchen secrets with others. One of the most popular recipes was the copy-cat Cinnabon recipe that tasted almost as good as the real deal.

Cinnamon buns were far too good to resist during the lockdown. Image: Shanai Govender

Here is a cinnamon bun recipe worth trying out.

RECIPE: DOUGHNUTS 

Doughnuts were the second most searched for recipe in South Africa in 2020. Here is a quick three-ingredient doughnut recipe.