12 Doubles, Trinidad.

Amber Lockhart

Hello Everyone!

Today’s dish will be about Doubles that is a street food and very popular in Trinidad. You can eat doubles in the morning but it’s very popular at lunchtime or at night. Most of the time, its very known to sell out because its such a yummy food! Its made with 2 Bara (fried dough) channa (chick peas) and sauce to your liking (tamarind, hot pepper, kuchela and a bit more).

Here’s the recipe to this amazing dish. I hope you all like it.

Ingredients

• For the Dough
• 1⁄3 cup warm water (100 110 F)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon yeast
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• For the Filling
• 1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 1⁄2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 pinch ground cumin
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• canola oil (for frying)
• hot pepper sauce, for serving

Steps

To make the dough:

• Place the warm water, sugar, and yeast in a separate small bowl. Set aside until the mixture bubbles.
• In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, turmeric, cumin, and black pepper. Stir the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and add additional lukewarm water as needed—about 1/2 cup—until the mixture comes together into slightly firm dough. Knead until smooth and elastic and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.

To make the filling:

• If using dried chickpeas, drain, place in a pot with 6 cups of fresh water. Simmer for about 1 hour, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
• If using canned chickpeas, drain in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook until translucent. Add the garlic and stir well, frying for 1 minute more. Add the curry powder and mix well. Cook for 30 seconds and add 1/4 cup of water. Stir in the chickpeas, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and add 1 more cup of water. Stir in the cumin, and salt and pepper, and lower the heat. Simmer until the chickpeas are very tender. Set aside.
• To complete the doubles: Punch down the dough and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Pinch off walnut-size pieces of dough and flatten each into a circle about 4 1/2 inches in diameter. Dampen your hands with water if the dough is sticky.
• Heat about 1 cup of canola oil, at least 3 inches deep in a frying pan or medium saucepan. Test the oil by sprinkling a bit of flour into it. If the flour bubbles and sizzles the oil is ready. Add the dough circles and fry, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 40 seconds. Place 2 tablespoons of chickpeas on each piece of fried dough. Add the pepper sauce, Kuchela, and cucumber, if desired. Top with another piece of fried dough. Serve.

Comments/Comentarios:

• Rebecca (USA): Hi Amber! ahh this dish I know all too well and is a bit special to me coming from Trinidadian background. I was fortunate enough to try authentic doubles when I was in Trinidad, and nothing beats back the authentic ones. It is true that it can be enjoyed at any point in the day once found. One of my favorite memories of when I first visited Trinidad was going out with my brother early in the morning by the creek watching the water while eating with him before we did our errands for the day. Doubles as you may know can also be found in Queens, and it gives me a bit of a nostalgic feeling any time I get one from a local roti shop. During the Covid lockdown, I even tried to replicate making doubles lol but I think I need a bit more practice!
• Nazifa (Bangladesh): Hi Amber! This dish seems so good! I’ve ever tried it. But reading your recipe is making me crave it now. Can’t wait to try it
• Zuleyma (Mexico): Hi, Amber. Your recipe is so interesting! I Have never tasted nothing like that. I want to try to do it. I like too much the curry and it sounds delicious combined with garbanzo beans. Here in México there´s nothing like that, but the way to make the dough is similar to make “buñuelos”, which are a dessert we eat with a syrup, as a dessert. But the dough is not spiced.