Doubles (Curry Chickpeas and Spicy Flat Bread) – Doubles are the most famous of Trinidad Street Snacks or sandwich and have become known as the epitome of Trinidad’s Street Food culture and one of my favorite Caribbean Street foods – hands down.
It’s greasy, spicy, messy and sensational.
This my friends, is not your everyday sandwich.
I don’t use sensational lightly but when I do, it has to count for something..
I can tell you, once you taste this you are going to CRAVE it, looooong for it, AND want it ALL the time.
Where delicious ends, this sandwich begins. What I’m trying to say is that it is beyond delicious!!! Plus it’s vegan too!!!!!
Seeing doubles?
TRIPLES? OH BOY!!!
Now… just you wait till you try it. You are going to have seconds and thirds.
Why am I tempting you with so many pictures…cause I want you to try it.
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).
Here is my own recreation of this sensational Trinidad sandwich – loaded with tons of flavor. And not too greasy.
Made with pantry staple ingredients, so anyone can give it a go. Fear not, you can too! It’s easy. The only hard part is the waiting.
I used yeast as always because it imparts an additional boost of flavor, for a quicker version go with baking powder.
For the chickpea curry I used my trusted, channa aloo aka chickpea curry recipe here without the potatoes. If you haven’t tried it you are missing out. It’s quick and comes together in about 30 minutes. Now it’s your chance to try it out.
This is usually served with condiments like hot sauce, pickled cucumber and or chutney. To be honest you don’t need it!
Make the bara first, then while it is rising make the curry chickpeas.
Enjoy!!!
Doubles (Curry Chickpeas and Spicy Flat Bread)
Ingredients
Spicy Flat bread (Bara)
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½-1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons active or dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 ¼ cup warm water or more adjust water to form soft dough
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
Curry chickpeas
- ¼ - 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 -3 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg spice
- 1½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons fresh or dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon cumin spice
- 1 teaspoon white pepper.
- 2 cans of chickpeas drained
- ½ tablespoon bouillon chicken powder optional
- 2 cups or more broth or water
- ½-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
- 2 green onions chopped
- 2 tablespoons or more chopped parsley
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Bara (Spicy Flat bread)
- In a large bowl combine all-purpose, yeast, salt sugar cumin, turmeric, and yeast. Thoroughly mix.
- Then add warm water a little at a time until you get to desired consistency – soft- ball. If dough is too stick some oil to prevent dough from sticking to your hands. Knead for about a minute or 2
- Place dough in an oiled bowl. Set it in a warm area and let it rise and double in size -approximately 1- 2 hours. Punch down.
- Divide in to about 18 or more pieces. These are medium sizes you may make it smaller and divide into walnut sizes.
- Place each piece on rolling board or palm of your hand, if dough is slightly sticky oil both sides with oil roll out flat. Set aside or place directly in frying pan. Repeat with the remainder of the dough
- In a large, sauce pan pour vegetable oil, until it is at place on medium heat until oil is about 350 degrees.
- Fry for about 30 seconds or less on each side. Bara should puff up.
- Use a large spoon or something like that to take it out of the oil. I usually place them on napkins right away to soak up some of the excess oil
- Serve doubles by placing one Bara on a plate, spooning one tablespoon of the chickpea filling on it, topping desired condiments. You may top with an additional bara.
Curry Chickpeas
- Heat up large sauce-pan with oil, and add onions, garlic, thyme, cumin spice, all spice, smoked paprika, nutmeg and curry powder, stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes until onions is translucent.
- Add stock / water if necessary to prevent any burns
- Next add chickpeas, scotch bonnet pepper, green onion and broth. Bring to a boil and let it simmer until sauce thickens, it might take about 20 minutes or more Throw in some parsley, adjust for salt, pepper and stew consistency.
Tips & Notes:
- I used yeast as always because it imparts an additional boost of flavor, for a quicker version go with baking powder.
Nutrition Information:
Sasha says
These doubles are seriously good and have become a family favourite in our house. We like to eat them with a cucumber chutney but we’ll have to try them with your scotch bonnet sauce next. Thank you for sharing, Imma!
ImmaculateBites says
You are welcome, Sasha.!
Simone says
Can’t wait to make this! What broth do you use? Chicken, vegetable?
Louise says
Wished it came with the tamarind sauce and shadow beni sauce aswell
Kayleigh says
Amazing! Firm favourite in our house
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!Thanks so much.
Kimberly Knight says
I am making these tonight! Hope they turn out as good as they did for others 🙂
Imma Adamu says
I’m pretty sure that it will be good!
FrugalMom says
I have to say these are one of the yummiest things we’ve ever had! I’d never heard of them before but was looking for a new way to cook with chickpeas and now I can’t stop making these, they’re SO GOOD! They’re fast and easy and my whole family goes crazy for them. We first tried them a week ago and I’m currently making them a third time already because we all craaaaaave them. Great recipe, great instructions, sooooo delicious! I was a little intimidated by the bara but it was actually not hard. Thanks for the amazing recipe!!
Ann says
Excellent job!
I have a question please – if you were to run out of tumerac and really really want to eat some homemade doubles – ca you a little curry powder in the making of the dough?
Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you absolutely can
Hillary says
I love doubles. The doubles made in Trinidad primarily and Barbados are incomparable and I have such a hard time finding restaurants in North America with decent ones – I find they are usually lacking in depth of flavour and made too far in advance which compromizes the textures of the bara.
This doubles recipe is fyah! I swear, I could open up a doubles stand in Port of Spain with these! It was simple to make and took virtually no time. The spice blend is perfect. I will add more water to the bara next time as I found the dough was a little stiffer than I like however everyone in my family loved them regardless.
I do think the bara in the photo looks a little too perfect tho! I don’t roll mine out but stretched the balls on the counter which creates the imperfect edges they usually has.
Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe. It will become a staple in my home from now on!
Jane says
These were amazing! I made the bara with baking powder to make it quicker and they were perfectly pillowy. The chana also tasted great. We had them with your Scotch bonnet sauce which was like icing on the cake. Thank you so much for the recipes
ImmaculateBites says
Aww, you are welcome, Jane! Thank you for the feedback!
a jeffrey says
Hi the flour used in making bara do you know what’s the protein content. I think we got different flour in tbe UK
Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Hi there! The flour used for this Bara recipe is all purpose flour which has a 10% protein content. Hope that helps.
Jim says
I haven’t been to Port of Spain in 25 years and I still literally crave doubles I’ve never found anything to compare here in the States I swear it’s the best thing I’ve I ever put in my mouth. Many attempts to recreate it at home with inadequate results Many recipes call for Nan but that doesn’t do it for me. The bread should be thin but stretchy enough to hold the contents without tearing. It’s called doubles because it uses 2 pieces of bread 1 laid half way offset from each other then folded bottom left the right to form a large pocket not rolled like a burrito or stacked like a sandwich They’re rather messy to eat and are prone to leaking Many people eat them standing up and leaning foward with ties over the shoulder downtown so don’ t be fooled by anything else I suggest a cold jelly coconut to go with it
Cindy Chin Sang says
Amazing! I just made these as was born in Trinidad and sometimes really crave Doubles. I made the dough with my sourdough starter and made a fresh coriander chutney, a homemade hot pepper sauce, mango chutney and grated cucumber to go with the chick pea masala. Absolutely delicious. Thank you!
Imma says
Oh my goodness, that sounds exquisite! I am so glad you enjoyed 🙂
toritown says
Hi, in a yeast desert here, could you explain how you used your starter? Did you just replace 20% of the flour with that amount of starter, accounting for the water in the starter? And did you let it rest at room temp until doubled in size, but just waited longer (6 hours I’d assume?) to let the natural yeast take its time?
Marlene says
I made this last night for the first time. I made the chickpea curry and a pumpkin filling (my favorite) and it was so good, I’m making it again tonight. I don’t have any more chickpeas or pumpkin, so I’m going to try doing something with some shrimp I have. Yum! Can’t wait – thanks for the recipe. I might also try your plain vanilla cake, if I can find that recipe again. I love your recipes!
Marcia Oppong says
Hi Imma,
I tried this recipe, and I would say it came out pretty good! My husband and I enjoyed it, and I plan on repeating it! Thanks for your recipes!
Debs says
Hi,
can I use gram flour to make these (chickpea flour) mixed with a little split pea flour? a bit like the Pholourie?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Debs, I haven’t tried it with these flours so can’t give you the exact measurements .Keep in mind that using these flours would alter the taste and texture. You might have to play with the dough for best results .
Chris says
Substituting other flours makes the fritters tougher and more cracker-like — the gluten in the wheat flour gives the bara their chewy quality. It’s also important to flatten the dough quite thin or it doesn’t cook through.
Ariez says
Every time I come off the plane in Trinidad I go for doubles& sprite I want to make it here in the states but question can you actually buy the flat bread & just re fry it to cut the baking in half also can the pickled cucumber be purchased or do you have to make it fresh like it looks in your pics
Sara says
These look amazing! I would love to make these tomorrow but I want to pair it with something green! I saw you mentioned pickled cucumber and chutney- is there a particular chutney that pairs well with this dish? Or any other complimentary sides I could make? Thanks! I can’t wait!