Trinidad doubles from my kitchen

Doubles are famous street food of Trinidad and Tobago. It is usually consumed as breakfast dish, but can also be a dish for lunch or dinner. Doubles consist of two deep fried flat bread called ‘Bara’ sandwiched with channa (chickpea curry). It resembles our Chole bhature. When read about this here. I was curious enough to try it. I think street food is tastiest food you can find in any country. l love to try the street food as well as home cooked food than any fancy restaurant menus. Caribbean cuisine has lot to offer as it is a fusion of Indian, French, African, British, Amerindian and Chinese cuisine.

When I started making the dough for Bara noticed that I was out of chickpeas. As usual Wal-Mart came to rescue; hubby after late night shopping got 4 cans of chickpeas. I made bara using this recipe with my own modifications. Traditionally Bara is made with all purpose flour, I want to make it healthy so, I used whole wheat flour. For Chana I used a recipe I always used.

In a small bowl dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water (100° F to 110° F). Stir in ¼ teaspoon sugar; let stand 10 minutes.

In large bowl sift together whole wheat flour, salt, turmeric, and add cumin seeds and mix well. To this add water and yeast sugar mixture to make smooth dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.

Punch dough down. Let it relax for another 10 minutes. For making bara take small golf size ball of dough and spread into circles of 5 inch diameter.

Heat canola oil in a pan until it is smoking hot and add one Bara at a time. Flip it a few times until it becomes golden brown color or 2 minutes each.

Remove with slotted spoon and drain it in a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Heat Olive oil in thick bottomed pan and add cumin and fennel seeds as it starts spluttering add chopped onions and green chilies and curry leaves and fry it until onions become translucent or change color.

Add freshly ground garlic ginger paste to the onions and fry for another 2 minutes.

Add cumin, coriander, chili powder and gram masala to onion –garlic-ginger-green chili mixture and fry for another 2minutes. To this add tomato paste and mix well.

Add washed chickpeas, salt and water to above mixture and cook until everything get incorporated and gravy reduced in volume or for about 7 minutes.

Finally check spices and garnish with cilantro and switch off the flame

Serve channa sandwiched between two bara, along with tamarind or mango chutney or with pepper sauce enjoy!

Preparation time: 1 ½ hour

Yield: 14 bara

Verdict: Very tasty

Will you make it again: I will

Swathi