Trinidad Doubles Recipe
Doubles are a very popular street food in Trinidad and Tobago. Essentially its is a sandwich made with two baras (flat fried bread) filled with curried channa (curried chickpeas).
You can find doubles on any high street in towns and cities across Trinidad and Tobago from very early in the morning. The are very low cost but taste great and have many great condiments including pepper and tamarind sauce.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- l tsp. turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin (geera)
- 1/4 tsp. sugar
- l tsp. instant yeast
- 1/2 lb. channa (chick peas), soaked overnight or Tinned Chick Pea
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- l onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp. curry powder
- 1 1/4 cups of water
- pinch of ground geera (cumin)
- l tsp. salt
- hot pepper to taste
- l cup oil for frying pepper sauce
Method:
- In a large bowl combine flour, salt, turmeric, geera, sugar and yeast.
- Add enough lukewarm water to make a soft dough; mix well, cover and let rise for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Boil soaked channa in salted water until tender, then drain well.
- Heat oil in a heavy skillet or iron pot, add garlic, onion and curry powder mixed with cup water; saute for a few minutes.
- Add channa, stir to coat well and cook for 5 minutes; add l cup of water, geera, salt and pepper.
- Cover and lower heat then simmer until peas are soft; add more water if necessary. When channa is finished it should be soft and moist; adjust seasoning.
- Punch down dough and allow to relax for 10-15 minutes
- To shape bara, take about l tablespoon of dough, pat with both hands to flatten to a circle 4″ or 5″ in diameter; use water to moisten palms of hands as dough might stick to hands.
- Fry a few at a time in hot oil; turn once and drain on kitchen paper.
- Make a sandwich by placing 2 tablespoons cooked channa between 2 baras.
- Add pepper sauce, tamarind sauce or whatever other condiments you like including mango or cucumber chutney.
If you dont fancy making doubles from scratch you can buy ready made doubles from Trini Roti Shack
See video of Doubles being made on youtube