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December 20, 2018

HOW TO MAKE TRINIDAD

DOUBLES – DETAILED
RECIPE & INSTRUCTIONS

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As I get ready to end this year strong and

set goals for the new year, I thought that I
should post just one more recipe on the
blog! Even though this recipe was posted
on You Tube on April 8, 2017, it never got a
home here… until now! I am always a bit
late, but better late than never, right?

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This year I had many successes at work and

in my personal life. My elder daughter
turned 16 and I fulfilled my promise to take
her to Paris and throw her a birthday party!
In two weeks I planned and organized a get
together with about fifty family and friends,
transforming my backyard into an
impressive party atmosphere that left my
guests stunned–thanks to the power of the
internet. Had I planned it for years like
some folks do, I could not have done a
better job!

Work travel to far and near including

London and more recently LA was
rewarding and exciting and I am already
planning my trips for the new year. I always
aim to do less traveling but it never
happens! This means less time to blog here!

This year I posted 20 videos on You Tube

which was the exact number I had on my to
do list. This for me was quite the
accomplishment considering that it takes
about 40 hours to complete one video and
then there is real life – my work, commute
and home/family schedule! I hope to do
more in 2019 despite it all. This (blogging
and creating) is my meditation. I get so
immersed that I forget about all the chaos
in life.

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You may have noticed that I updated this

blog a little and more progress will be
made. I plan to make this a convenient and
user-friendly space where you will find
some, if not many, of your favorite recipes!
Some of the older recipes are getting a
make-over and I plan to post more new
ones every month! So stay tuned! Please
also feel free to write with any suggestions,
recipe or video requests. I would love to
hear from you.

Now onto the real reason for this blog

post….

If you are here because you have Googled

“What is doubles “ ? This is the post for
you! By the time you are done reading this
you will yearn for this snack, but rest
assured the recipe and video for Trinidad
Doubles are included below to help you
make this successfully at home!

Doubles is by far the most

popular, cheap, satisfying, fast
food and beloved street food in
Trinidad. It is a delicious sloppy sandwich
made with two pillowy soft baras-flat fried
breads-filled with channa also known as
curried chickpeas–even though there is no
curry here(you may add if you wish).

DOUBLES CONDIMENTS:
Doubles (bara and channa) is a vessel for
the mouth watering condiments and
Caribbean flavors. Condiments range from
a choice of (Top left to right) boiled mango
chutney, cucumber chutney (grated
cucumber), Bottom Left to right: Bandhania
Chutney, pepper sauce, roasted pepper
sauce. Not shown, tamarind chutney,
kuchela, coconut chutney.

I have heard rumors of triples—the use of

three baras. The fillings too have become
creative with variations including curry
chicken or goat. I have never tried or seen
these so I can’t attest to their actual
existence.

Doubles is a joyful culmination of

sweet, savory, tangy, spicy–all in
one mouthful! A gastronomical
delight that ‘s addicting and
afflicting. Afflicting in a sense that one
could suffer from ‘doubles tabanca’ if not
eaten for a very long period.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE DOUBLES
VENDOR?
It really helps that doubles vendors are not
scarce either. Each person in Trinidad will
passionately voice who in their opinion
makes the best doubles. “That guy by the
Chaguanas market,” or “the other guy
across from the gas station” or “de man in
Tong” or “them people in Tunapuna”. “from
the guy dong the road” etc..!

WHAT MAKES A GOOD DOUBLES?

I would say the texture and thickness of the
bara. It must have a certain chew to it and
the right color, which comes from the
addition of turmeric. The chickpeas must be
tender and flavorful, not too dry. The
condiments should leave you yearning for
another doubles or four. I asked my sister
what she thinks makes a good doubles, she
says, “it melts in your mouth not in your
hand like M and M’s”. Alrighty then?

HOW MANY DOUBLES CAN YOU

EAT IN ONE SITTING?
One doubles is filling and satisfying but one
evening after school, I vividly recollect
eating ten doubles . That is not a typo.
To justify that avarice, I have since
convinced myself that they were probably
very small doubles. That doubles was by
far the best and most memorable doubles
I’ve ever had. One year I returned to
Trinidad to search for that doubles man,
who by the way was situated in Couva
market, just down the street from Holy
Faith Convent where I attended, only to
learn that he no longer sells doubles. That
was one of the saddest, most forlorn
moments of my existence.

HOW DID I DEVELOP THIS RECIPE?

I have begged folks to put me in touch with
their favorite doubles vendor so that I can
extract their recipe from them, but the
opportunity never came. I’ve thought about
it a lot, dreamt about it and one day I
walked into my kitchen determined to
develop the best doubles recipe. There is
no reason why I can’t create a recipe, this is
not rocket science, I am smart enough to do
it. Equipped with all the positive thoughts I
can muster I created the first sample. The
texture was there, but the color and taste
hinted that I added too much turmeric. I
took a nap and returned to the kitchen for a
repeat performance. My husband, after
tasting it, raised his eyebrows and smiled.
He is a man of few words.

HOW TO MAKE DOUBLES

CHANNA?
The making of the channa proved to be
more challenging than the bara. The
chickpeas if you really examine it,
does not have a lot of color and
taste on its own, it is enhanced by
the bara and flavorful condiments.
I tested it one weekend and then another
time one night after work. I realized that it
required a lot of boiling in order to have
that tender, melt in your mouth texture that
makes a great chickpea filling. I found that
baking soda does the trick!

Some claim that the chickpeas are simply

boiled with the herbs and turmeric and
others suggest that chunkaying is the best
way to go. Chunkaying is the process of
first cooking the spices in the oil to bring
out the flavor, then adding the chickpeas
and other seasonings. I’ve tried it both ways
and I find this method (boiling) is more
authentic/similar to the doubles we usually
buy.

I don’t know if this recipe will allow you to

start your own doubles business, but I do
know that if there isn’t a doubles vendor in
your part of the world or town, this recipe
will bring a taste of home/Trinidad to you.

UPDATE: I HAVE RECEIVED MANY

MESSAGES THAT PEOPLE HAVE
ACTUALLY STARTED USING THIS
RECIPE TO START A DOUBLES
BUSINESS!

Fuel To Be Your Very Best.

Smoothie King

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So You Can Rule The Day®.

Trinidad

STORE INFO DIRECTIONS

TRINIDAD DOUBLES

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Doubles is by far the most popular,

cheap, satisfying, fast food and beloved
street food in Trinidad. It is a delicious
sloppy sandwich made with two pillowy
soft baras-flat fried breads-filled with
channa also known as curried
chickpeas. It is a vessel for the mouth
watering condiments and Caribbean
flavors. Condiments range from a choice
of grated cucumber, tamarind chutney,
kuchela, hot sauce (peppah sauce) or
sometimes even coconut chutney to a
"lil bit of everything". I have heard
rumors of triples—the use of three
baras. The fillings too have become
creative with chicken or goat. I have
never tried or seen it so I can’t attest to
its actual existence.

5 from 48 votes

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PREP TIME COOK TIME

10 mins 1 hr 30 mins

COURSE CUISINE
Appetizer, Indian
Breakfast

SERVINGS CALORIES
8 SERVINGS 259 kcal

INGREDIENTS
Doubles Bara
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
preferably aluminum free
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
Pinch turmeric 1/4 tsp
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup lukewarm water lukewarm,
MINUS about 3 tbs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil for
rubbing on dough
2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Doubles Channa Recipe

1/2 lb dried chickpeas channa
1 teaspoon baking soda divided
1 tablespoon minced culantro
bandhania
1 tablespoon garlic minced (3
cloves)
1/8 teaspoon turmeric or up to 1 tsp
depending on the brand
1 1/2 tsp bandhania finely chopped
or minced--about 3 leaves
1/2 teaspoon amchar massala or
ground roasted cumin, or a combo
1-2 teaspoons Himalayan Salt Add
to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Bara Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, add flour, salt,
yeast, turmeric and sugar.
2. Add lukewarm water gradually and
mix to form a very soft,
slightlysticky dough. Do not over
knead.
3. Rub the dough with oil, cover and
set aside to rest 1 hour (minimum)
or until doubled(max 6 hrs or
overnight). The longer it rests, the
softer the bara--6 hours is perfect,
but if you are in a hurry, 1 hr can
work.
4. Divide the dough into 16 balls.
Cover and allow it to raise another
hour or until doubled.

5. Rub oil on a flat surface or plate.

Place the dough on the oiled
surface and flatten to a 4 inch
round(oil hands as well). Make to
your desired thickness and width--
keeping in mind it puffs up as it
cooks
6. Meanwhile heat oil in a small pot
over medium-high heat. When the
oil is very hot, gently place dough in
hot oil and fry on each side until
cooked and golden brown--takes
seconds if the oil is hot enough.
Drain on the side of the pot, using
the spoon.

7. Place the fried dough (bara) in

paper towel or clean kitchen
towel, stacking them on each
other as they are done frying.
This will allow them to flatten,
steam and give them the soft,
chewy texture we all love--just
like the doubles man's! Repeat
with the remaining dough. Serve
hot with Doubles channa(recipe
below).

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Smoothie King

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So You Can Rule The Day®.

Trinidad

STORE INFO DIRECTIONS

Channa Instructions
1. Soak chickpeas overnight with 1/2
teaspoon baking soda. Drain and
rinse with several changes of water.
Drain again.
2. In a pot, add about 6 cups of water
and place over medium heat. Add
channa, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2
teaspoon baking soda and stir to
combine. Bring to a boil and scoop
out any impurities that rise to the
top.
3. When chickpeas are tender, about 1
hour, add minced bandhania,
minced garlic and turmeric and mix
well. You can also add minced hot
pepper.
4. Continue to cook for 15-20 minutes
or longer if required. During this
time, with a wooden spoon, stir,
moving back and forth motion to
bring it to the right consistency.
This will take several minutes for
the channa to thicken, so be
patient. Doubles will be ready soon!

5. Taste for salt and add more if

required. To finish, mix in
bandhania, amchar massala or
ground roasted cumin or a
combination.

Enjoy with the baras! Can be made

ahead--a day before. Can be easily
doubled.

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NOTES
This recipe (2 cups of flour and 1/2 lb
channa) makes enough for about 8
doubles--all depending on the size of
the baras made. Results will vary.

Baras can be made as thick or thin,

however you like it..that's the beauty of
homemade doubles! Once these are
pressed down by weight, it becomes
thinner(this is what happens when the
doubles man makes and stacks
hundreds of baras!)

Fuel To Be Your Very Best.

Smoothie King

Order Now For Pickup Or Delivery

So You Can Rule The Day®.

Trinidad

STORE INFO DIRECTIONS

KEYWORD
bara recipe, channa recipe, doubles,