10 Most-Searched Recipes By Nigerians During The Lockdown
As a result of the novel coronavirus, we’ve all been cooking so much more, poring through the internet and recipe books for tasty recipes. Also, we’ve seen the rise of internet cooking trends like the South Korean Dalgona Coffee, and the really weird pancake cereal recipe.
This just goes to show that people are turning to their kitchens to cope with the pandemic, well, in addition to the fact that many dining rooms are currently closed.
Now, what exactly are Nigerians searching for on the internet regarding food? Granted, everyone and their mothers on Instagram all whipped up jars of Dalgona Coffee, but Nigerians, like everybody else, have been searching for recipes and this is why we have compiled this list in no particular order, as part of our dedication to curating the gastronomy of Nigerians, with a focus on Lagos.
1. Banana Bread/Cake
Is there even anyone who didn’t make banana bread this period? It’s no surprise that Nigerians all over the country were searching for this recipe since it’s one of the cooking trends that have defined the pandemic. We shared our own take on the recipe on the blog using white sugar instead of brown sugar.
2. Muffins
A muffin is the basic but lovable cousin to a cake – muffins are easier to bake, require fewer ingredients and can be eaten at breakfast. Now that everyone and their grandmas are baking for fun, it only makes sense that residents of ‘metropolitan’ cities, Lagos, Abuja and Enugu, have been dabbling into easy-to-prepare sweet treats like muffins.
3. Meat Pie
When done right, the flaky crust and meaty filling of the Nigerian-style meat pie can make for a great quarantine snack. These days, there are interesting deep dish takes on this classic recipe that we’re not exactly mad at.
4. Bread
Because you all were baking and eating so much bread, we had to share a ranking of the different types of bread available in Nigeria. Studies have shown that baking helps with anxiety and this is possibly one of the reasons why a lot of people took to baking spongy loaves of bread during these uncertain times.
5. Ice cream
Who would’ve guessed people were searching for how to make ice cream from home? Not me. Apparently, all you need for a tub of basic homemade ice cream are three ingredients. While you won’t be getting a Hans & Rene-worthy dessert, homemade dessert is still better than nothing.
6. Pizza
Pizza is a guilty pleasure for most people and like every other item on this list, it’s no surprise people in Lagos and Abuja are trying to recreate the recipes from their favourite pizzerias these days.
7. Chocolate Chip cookies
Interestingly, this recipe became a trend amongst residents of Bayelsa, Kwara, Osun within the past three months, unlike others on this list which have been mostly searched by Lagosians.
8. Cinnamon roll
In the past three months, cinnamon roll recipes have been primarily searched by residents of Lagos and Abuja. This is possibly linked to the presence of patisseries in these cities compared to other cities in the country.
9. Pancakes
To be clear, pancakes are some of the most searched recipes in Nigeria all year round. Somehow, Nigerians are always looking to make fluffy breakfast pancakes whether restaurants are open or not.
10. Doughnut
In this part of the world, we LOVE our doughnuts, and this is just more proof. This recipe has been primarily searched in Lagos and other neighbouring states in the southwest.