Everyone’s going to be lining up for MasterChef auditions once this is all over

We love food, no questions about that. So while we’ve been under quarantine, we’ve been keeping track of all the culinary trends that have been popping up left and right. With two months of lockdown, the best and the bored have come up with some of 2020’s best recipes.

Read also: Quarantine Tips: 5 Easy No-Bake Dessert Recipes To Try At Home

1. Dalgona

Tatler Asia

In 20 years, our children are going to be asking us what we ate during the infamous coronavirus pandemic. The answer? Dalgona. This coffee sensation has morphed into more than just lattes on Instagram: it’s a cake, it’s a shake, it’s everything you can make — out of coffee powder and milk. Try experimenting with different flavour variations to give your dalgona dessert a nice little twist. 

Read also: Still Trending: The Best Versions Of Dalgona Coffee On Social Media

2. Baked Sushi

Most Japanese restaurants pride themselves on the freshness of its ingredients, but since doors to most establishments have been closed, people have been experimenting with creating their own type of sushi — this time, baked! A layer of sticky Japanese rice is laid out on a pan, topped with various ingredients that remind us of our favourite sushi rolls. These include (but are definitely not limited to ) salmon, tuna, cheese, kanibonito flakes, and tobiko. All this is torched to create a delicious, crisp top layer. Diners are to scoop spoons of this baked sushi onto sheets of seaweed (nori), fold it together, and eat it. It’s a fun way to serve up dinner (or merienda) when you're missing your neighbourhood ramen joint. 

3. Ube Cheese Pandesal

The ube cheese pandesal had been quite popular even before lockdown; but now, with bakers stuck at home, it’s grown from Internet sensation to breakfast staple. Chewy bread buns flavoured the colour of ube, filled with cheese (and sometimes macapuno) have been making a huge splash on both online bakeries and offline menus. We’ve even started seeing people experiment with different pandesal flavours including strawberry and matcha! Talk about a global takeaway. What will our beloved Pinoy favourite be like next month? 

Read also: Quarantine Tips: Five Things To Remember When Baking Bread At Home

4. Cinnamon Rolls

Tatler Asia

Is it just us or is everyone missing Cinnabon just a little too much? Browse through your timeline and you’ll doubtless come across a picture of trays just full of homemade cinnamon rolls. Thick, creamy glaze is coated over warm bread fresh out the oven. In the centre, an indulgent black spiral of cinnamon swirls around the entire creation. Tell us: what’s not to love? 

5. Banana Bread

Tatler Asia

The warm smell of banana bread floating through the kitchen has always been inviting. In quarantine, many are finding comfort in the sweet smells of this overripe plantain. Proof? The abundance of banana bread littering our Instagram stories and Facebook timelines. Now, they come with a fun twist: a cream cheese layer, a sprinkle of chocolate chips, or a drizzle of flavouring. It’s easy, it’s quick, and most of all, it’s comforting —perfect for the stress bakers stuck at home. 

Read also: The Best And Easiest Banana Bread Recipe By A Singaporean Pastry Chef

6. Mochi

Everyone’s heard of the Facebook group “Subtle Asian Traits” but how about “Subtle Asian Cooking”, one of its many spinoff groups? Plenty of talented home chefs — Asians from all around the world — post regularly about their culinary adventures, sharing unique recipes and delicious photos of homemade creations that make our mouths water. One recurrent theme among plenty of them? Mochi. People have been incorporating it into just about everything: from cookies to brownie to buns and pancakes. It’s a fun little experiment to do at home when you’re craving something chewy. 

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