Doubles
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour — 350 g (2¾ cups)
- Ground turmeric — 5 g (1 tsp)
- Ground cumin — 5 g (1 tsp)
- Instant yeast — 5 g (1½ tsp)
- Sugar — 5 g (1 tsp)
- Salt — 5 g (1 tsp)
- Water, lukewarm — 250 ml (1 cup)
- Vegetable oil, for the dough and deep-frying, divided — 750 ml (3 cups)
- Dried chickpeas (channa), soaked overnight, or 400 g canned — 200 g (1 cup dried)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 3 cloves
- Trinidad curry powder — 20 g (4 tsp)
- Scotch bonnet pepper, whole — 1
- Tamarind chutney and pepper sauce, to serve
Method
- Make the bara dough: whisk flour, turmeric, cumin, yeast, sugar, and salt together. Add warm water and 1 tbsp oil, mixing into a soft, slightly sticky batter-like dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours until doubled.
- Meanwhile, cook the channa: boil soaked chickpeas until tender, about 45–60 minutes (or use drained canned chickpeas).
- In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp oil and sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in curry powder and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add cooked channa, a splash of water, and the whole scotch bonnet; simmer 15–20 minutes until the curry thickens slightly. Remove scotch bonnet and set channa aside, keeping warm.
- With well-oiled hands, pinch off small portions of the risen bara dough and flatten into thin, roughly 8 cm (3 in) rounds directly with your fingers.
- Heat oil to 175°C (350°F). Fry bara rounds one at a time for about 1 minute per side until puffed and light golden - they should stay soft, not crisp.
- To assemble, place two bara pieces overlapping on a napkin, spoon curried channa generously in the centre, and top with tamarind chutney and pepper sauce to taste. Fold and serve immediately.
Introduction: Doubles – two pieces of fried bara bread sandwiching curried channa (chickpeas) – is Trinidad’s most famous street food, sold from carts at breakfast and lunchtime across the country, topped with tamarind, pepper, and chutneys to order.
Cultural Background: Doubles – two pieces of fried bara bread sandwiching curried channa (chickpeas) – is Trinidad’s most famous street food, sold from carts at breakfast and lunchtime across the country, topped with tamarind, pepper, and chutneys to order. It’s considered a national dish and cultural icon.
Tips: Keep bara dough wet and oiled hands when shaping – it’s meant to be soft and slightly sticky, unlike a firm bread dough.
Variations: Add cucumber chutney or kuchela (spiced mango) as additional toppings, common at many doubles stands.
Storage: Bara and channa can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days; assemble fresh just before eating for best texture.
Reheating: Warm channa gently on the stovetop; bara is best fresh but can be briefly reheated in a dry pan.
FAQs:
Q: Why is my bara tough instead of soft and airy?
A: Insufficient rise time or too little oil frying temperature can cause density
Q: Is doubles vegan?
A: Yes, traditional doubles are naturally vegan.
Q: Can I make doubles ahead for a party?
A: Fry bara and cook channa ahead, then reheat gently and assemble fresh right before serving for the best texture.
- All-purpose flour — 350 g (2¾ cups)
- Ground turmeric — 5 g (1 tsp)
- Ground cumin — 5 g (1 tsp)
- Instant yeast — 5 g (1½ tsp)
- Sugar — 5 g (1 tsp)
- Salt — 5 g (1 tsp)
- Water, lukewarm — 250 ml (1 cup)
- Vegetable oil, for the dough and deep-frying, divided — 750 ml (3 cups)
- Dried chickpeas (channa), soaked overnight, or 400 g canned — 200 g (1 cup dried)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 3 cloves
- Trinidad curry powder — 20 g (4 tsp)
- Scotch bonnet pepper, whole — 1
- Tamarind chutney and pepper sauce, to serve
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