Doubles (Curried Chickpea Flatbread Sandwiches) are the most famous of Trinidad Street Snacks or sandwich where deliciously spiced fried bread called Bara, topped with a spicy chickpea curry!
Doubles have become known as the epitome of Trinidad’s Street Food culture.
This popular breakfast food is also a late-night favorite after a good “lime.” “Lime” is the Trini term for “hanging out.”
Anyways, Doubles in a nutshell is a combination between curry and chickpeas, infused with a blend of aromatic spices sandwiched between two deep-fried spicy aromatic flat bread dough (Bara).
I have prepared using Tasting Queens Bara Bread Mix for making Bara and their Tropical Paradise Sweet Heat Sauce, Candied Ginger and Tamarind Chutney as condiments.
WHAT IS DOUBLES?
Doubles is a common street food originating from Trinidad and Tobago. It is normally eaten during breakfast, but is also eaten occasionally during lunch or as a late night snack and popular hangover food for local Trinidadians. Doubles are made with two bara’s and filled with curry channa and various chutneys.
WHAT ARE TRINI DOUBLES?
At first you may think that this is Chole Bhature (famous in Indian cuisine). However, it tastes different and the flatbread too is prepared differently. Having said that, most of the popular dishes in Trinidad are of Indian origin. Not surprising, as half of the population there are of Indian origin. Doubles is a famous street food enjoyed mainly as breakfast. But that doesn’t stop Trini people enjoying it as a snack or even as lunch.Doubles was first created in Fairfield, Princes Town by Emamool Deen (a.k.a. Mamudeen) and his wife Raheman Rasulan Deen in 1936.
WHAT DO TRINI DOUBLES CONSIST OF?
It basically consists of puffed up bread called bara filled with curried chickpeas or channa and chutney. The filling or channa is usually spicy because scotch bonnet is added. As I don’t get scotch bonnet here, I just used normal chilis. Chutney is made from chandon beni(bhandhania) a local herb or with other green chutneys, coconut chutney or the famous pepper sauce. Doubles is wholesome, filling and fits in your palms. Some serve it with double bara or bread or the stuffing is placed on a big bara and folded much like a taco.
HOW TO MAKE BARA?
I have used Tasting Queens Market Doubles Flat Bread Mix. Just add water and make the dough. Let it rest for 20 mins. Then roll into small circles and fry in oil.
HOW TO SERVE TRINI DOUBLES?
- Take one Bara.
- Spoon about 2-3 tbsp of the channa curry onto it.
- Add a dollop of tamarind sauce and heat sauce.
- Sprinkle some cilantro/parsley over it.
- Top it with another bara and enjoy!
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Doubles
Ingredients
- 16 oz Doubles Flat Bread Mix
- 1/2 cup cooking oil
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 cup chickpeas cooked and drained
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 bouillon chicken cube
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder/smoked paprika
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
- 1 cup broth or water
- 2 tbsp cilantro or parsley chopped
- Salt to taste
- Heat sauce optional
- Tamarind sauce optional
Instructions
- Mix the flat bread mix with 3/4 cup of water to a dough like consistency. Allow to rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile make the chickpeas curry.
- Heat up large sauce-pan with oil, and add onions, garlic. Stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes until onions is translucent.
- Then add in the spices and cook for a minute.
- Add stock / water and bouillon chicken cube .
- Next add chickpeas and bring to a boil. Let it simmer until sauce thickens, it might take about 15 minutes
- Check for salt and pepper. Finally add some cilantro/parsley.
- Roll the bara dough into small round using rolling pin. Fry the rolled bread in hot oil on both sides.
- Serve these Bara with Chickpeas curry with chutney on top and enjoy!
