Doubles

Story

Doubles was invented in 1936 in Princes Town, southern Trinidad, by an Indo-Trinidadian couple, Emamool Deen and his wife Rasulan Ali. The Deens were descendants of Indian indentured labourers brought to Trinidad after the abolition of slavery, and they drew on the North Indian tradition of chole bhature, serving spiced chickpeas (channa) over a single fried flatbread (bara) from a bicycle cart. When customers began asking him to double the bara, the name stuck. By the 1970s doubles had become Trinidad's national snack, crossing every ethnic boundary on the island.

Ingredients

• For the bara:
• 300g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (geera)
• 180 to 200ml lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more for frying
• For the channa:
• 400g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (for soaking)
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (geera)
• 1 teaspoon amchar masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons shadow beni (culantro) or coriander, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• 250ml water
• To serve:
• Tamarind chutney
• Cucumber chutney
• Pepper sauce
• Kuchela (optional)

Method

• 1. Make the bara dough: combine the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, turmeric and cumin in a large bowl. Gradually work in the lukewarm water and oil until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Coat the dough lightly with oil, cover with a damp cloth and rest in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes until puffy.
• 2. Cook the channa: drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas, discarding the soaking water. Place in a pot, cover generously with fresh water and boil for 45 to 60 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
• 3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Saute the onion until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
• 4. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, amchar masala and turmeric. Cook the spices for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• 5. Add the cooked chickpeas and 250ml of water. Stir well to coat the chickpeas in the spiced base. Simmer over low to medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the peas. Add the shadow beni, season with salt and stir. Keep warm.
• 6. Fry the bara: pour neutral oil into a wide shallow pan to a depth of about 2cm and heat over medium-high heat. Divide the rested dough into 10 to 12 equal pieces. Oil your hands lightly and flatten each piece into a disc about 9cm across, keeping them thin.
• 7. Fry each disc for about 3 seconds per side, just long enough for them to puff slightly and turn pale golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
• 8. Assemble: lay one bara flat in your palm, spoon a generous tablespoon of channa on top, then cover with a second bara. Add tamarind chutney, cucumber chutney and pepper sauce to taste. Eat immediately.

Common questions