Trinidadian doubles are a popular street food from Trinidad and Tobago: two soft, turmeric-tinted fried flatbreads called bara wrapped around curried chickpeas called channa. This version uses pantry ingredients that are generally easy to find in Jamaica, plus a quick tamarind sauce, for a filling meal with warm spice, soft bread and a tangy finish.
Doubles have regional and vendor-specific variations, so this is a practical home version rather than the one definitive recipe. The chickpeas cook while the dough rises, and the bara are fried just before serving so they stay tender and pliable.
Ingredients
- For the bara: 3 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for handling
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) lukewarm water, plus up to 2 tablespoons (30 ml) if needed
- 3 cups (710 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil, for frying; you may need a little more or less depending on your pan
- For the channa: 2 cans (15 ounces/425 g each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed, about 3 cups (480 g) drained
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, about 1 cup (150 g) finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, about 1 tablespoon (9 g) minced
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) Trinidad-style green seasoning, or 2 tablespoons (8 g) finely chopped fresh cilantro and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) Jamaican or Caribbean curry powder
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- For the quick tamarind sauce: 2 tablespoons (30 g) tamarind concentrate or paste
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) brown sugar
- 1 small garlic clove, about 3 g, finely grated
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) fine salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) finely chopped Scotch bonnet pepper, optional; remove the seeds for less heat
Instructions
- Mix the bara dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, baking powder, sugar, turmeric, cumin and salt. Pour in the lukewarm water and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead in the bowl or on a lightly floured counter for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and smooth. The dough should feel tacky, not wet enough to run; knead in the extra water a teaspoon at a time if it feels dry. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes, until visibly puffy. It may not double, especially in a cool room.
- Start the channa while the dough rises. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until softened. Stir in the garlic and green seasoning and cook for 30 seconds. Add the curry powder, cumin and turmeric. Stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant; if the spices begin sticking, add a tablespoon of water rather than letting them scorch.
- Add the drained chickpeas, salt and 1 1/2 cups water. Stir well, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat. Cook uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are hot and the liquid has thickened into a spoonable gravy. Lightly mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pan to help thicken it. Stir in the lime juice, taste and adjust the salt. Cover and keep warm on the lowest heat while you make the sauce and fry the bara.
- Make the tamarind sauce. Stir the tamarind concentrate, water, brown sugar, garlic, salt and optional Scotch bonnet together in a small bowl. Taste it: tamarind brands vary in sharpness, so add a little more sugar if it is too tart or a teaspoon of water if it is too thick. Set aside. This is a tangy finishing sauce, not a dip that needs to be cooked.
- Shape the bara. Lightly oil your hands and divide the risen dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, cover with a clean towel and let them rest for 5 minutes so they are easier to stretch. Pat or gently stretch each ball into a thin round about 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) across. Keep the rounds covered as you work; uncovered dough can form a dry skin that makes it harder to stretch.
- Fry the bara. Pour the frying oil into a deep, heavy skillet or saucepan to a depth of about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm). Heat over medium to medium-high until a small piece of dough sizzles promptly but does not turn dark immediately. Fry one round at a time, turning once, for about 30 to 45 seconds per side. The bara should puff in places and show golden patches while remaining soft, not crisp. Adjust the heat if they brown in seconds or absorb a lot of oil. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined tray and cover loosely with a clean towel to keep them warm and supple. Fry the remaining rounds, allowing the oil to return to temperature between batches.
- Assemble and serve. Place one warm bara on a plate, spoon on a generous portion of channa and its gravy, then top with a second bara. Add tamarind sauce to taste and serve at once. For a less messy serving, fold the filled bara gently in half before eating.
Tips
- Use chickpeas that are tender. Canned chickpeas keep this recipe manageable for a weeknight. If yours are still firm, give the channa another 5 to 10 minutes at a gentle simmer with a splash of water. Dried chickpeas also work, but cook them fully before starting this recipe; their soaking and cooking time is not included in the recipe timing.
- Mind the dough texture. Flour absorbs water differently depending on humidity and how it is measured. A slightly tacky dough makes softer bara, while adding too much extra flour can make them dense. Oil your hands instead of repeatedly dusting the dough with flour.
- Keep the frying oil steady. If the oil is too cool, the bara can turn greasy; if it is too hot, they brown before the middle has a chance to cook. Fry a test round first and lower or raise the heat as needed. Never leave hot oil unattended, and keep water away from the pan.
- Choose a sensible pepper substitute. Scotch bonnet gives the sauce a distinctly Jamaican Caribbean heat, but it is optional. A small pinch of cayenne or a few drops of pepper sauce can stand in; add either gradually because prepared pepper sauces vary in salt and strength.
Serving Suggestions
Serve doubles hot as a filling breakfast, lunch, snack or casual supper. Put the channa, bara and tamarind sauce on the table separately if people prefer to build their own, and offer the sauce in small spoonfuls so each person can control the tartness. A little kuchela, mango chutney or cucumber chutney makes a flavorful extra topping; these are optional accompaniments, not required parts of the recipe.
For a meal with more variety, serve doubles alongside a simple cucumber-and-tomato salad or sliced ripe avocado. The fresh, cool flavors balance the warm curry and fried bread without competing with the chickpeas. If serving a group, fry the bara close to mealtime and keep them covered in a warm place; stack them only after draining so steam does not make the bottoms soggy.
Variations
Make the spice profile your own: Curry powders differ in heat and salt, so begin with the listed amount and adjust the finished channa. For a warmer, earthier flavor, add a pinch of ground coriander or extra cumin. Some cooks like a hotter filling; add a small amount of finely minced Scotch bonnet to the onion as it cooks, taking care not to touch your eyes afterward.
Use a different bean: Chickpeas are the usual filling for doubles, but cooked pigeon peas can be used for a local pantry-friendly variation. They are smaller and have a different texture, so avoid mashing too many. The result is a twist on doubles rather than the standard channa filling.
Adjust the tamarind: Tamarind concentrate can be very concentrated, while some tamarind pastes contain seeds or fibers. If using a fibrous paste, soak it in the measured warm water for 10 minutes and press it through a fine sieve before mixing in the other sauce ingredients. If tamarind is unavailable, lime juice with a little brown sugar makes a quick sharp-sweet topping, but it will taste brighter and less fruity.
Make smaller snacks: Divide the dough into 20 pieces and stretch them into smaller rounds. Fry them for the same short time, watching for golden patches, and serve with a smaller spoonful of channa. For a gentler meal, leave out the Scotch bonnet and put pepper sauce on the side.
Storage and Reheating
For the best texture, store bara and channa separately and assemble only as many doubles as you plan to eat. Refrigerate both components within 2 hours of cooking. Put the cooled channa in a covered container; it keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Cooked bara can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 2 days, though they are softest on the day they are fried. Keep the tamarind sauce covered in the refrigerator and use it within about 5 days.
Reheat the channa in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water, stirring until steaming hot throughout; leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C). You can also microwave it in a microwave-safe container, stirring halfway through. Warm bara one at a time in a dry skillet over low heat for about 20 to 30 seconds per side, or wrap them in a lightly damp paper towel and microwave briefly. Avoid overheating the bara, which can make them tough. Freeze extra channa for up to 2 months for best quality, then thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. Bara can also be frozen with parchment between them, though their texture may be less tender after thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are doubles Jamaican food?
Doubles are associated with Trinidad and Tobago, where they are a well-known street food. This recipe is designed to be made in Jamaica with broadly available ingredients and an optional Scotch bonnet accent, but the dish itself is Trinidadian rather than a traditional Jamaican dish.
Can I make the channa ahead?
Yes. Make the chickpea filling up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it promptly in a covered container. Reheat it gently with a splash of water until steaming hot, then make the bara close to serving so they stay soft. The tamarind sauce can also be made a few days ahead and refrigerated.
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of canned?
Yes, but cook them until completely tender before adding them to the curry mixture. The recipe calls for about 3 cups (480 g) of drained chickpeas, which is approximately the amount from two standard cans. Dried chickpeas need soaking and a separate cooking period, so allow extra time and do not count that time as part of the listed total.
Why did my bara turn crisp or greasy?
Thin dough, excess flour or frying for too long can make bara crisp. Oil that is not hot enough can make it greasy, while oil that is too hot can brown the surface before the bread stays soft inside. Keep the rounds slightly thicker than paper thin, test one first and adjust the burner so each side takes roughly 30 to 45 seconds to develop golden patches.
What can I use instead of green seasoning?
Use the listed cilantro-and-water substitute, or finely chop a little cilantro with a small piece of scallion and a pinch of thyme if those are available. Green seasoning blends vary, so taste the finished channa before adding more salt. The substitute keeps the filling aromatic, though its flavor will be simpler than a well-seasoned homemade blend.
Can I make the bara without yeast?
Yeast helps give the dough its soft, lightly risen texture. If you leave it out, the bara will be denser and less pliable, even with baking powder. For the closest result, use instant yeast and allow the dough its full 45-minute rise; if the room is cool, give it extra time until it looks puffy.
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