Doubles

Ok you may be wondering what I was up to that kept me back from posting on Wednesday as usual. Well, now you know. Since this is going to be a long post I will have to keep my words to a minimum but you all know how I love to talk....

Doubles is THE ULTIMATE Trini street food. It doesn't get any better than this: it's relatively cheap, tasty, wholesome, filling, fresh, piping hot and fits nicely in the palm of your hand.


Eating it comes to be a ritual: bend forward slightly to avoid the filling getting on your clothes; hold doubles opened in one hand while the other picks up the bara filled with the channa and condiments... Or if you find that too messy you can enjoy it like I do... unwrap one side and munch away like a veggie wrap or burrito. Then when you're finished enjoy a cold coconut water; slight jelly!

Born right here in Trinidad and Tobago of humble beginnings, doubles has now become a staple in our diets and is synonymous with being Trini. Ask any Trinidadian abroad what they do as soon as they reach back home and I'm sure 99.9% will tell you "Get some doubles!". :-) We just can't get enough. All in all, this is our food identity...Italians have their pizza, Mexicans their quesadillas, and us Trinis, we have Doubles. Here's Doubles. Enjoy!

DOUBLES

Bara
1 lb flour
1 tsp saffron powder (tumeric)
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp yeast
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 cups water
1 tbsp. oil
oil for frying

Channa
2 cups channa, soaked overnight
10 cups water, for boiling
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. curry
1 tsp. saffron (tumeric)
1 tsp. geera (cumin)
1 tsp. masala
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2 onion, chopped finely
5 leaves chadon beni ( bandhania), chopped finely
salt and pepper to taste

BARA

Mix all the ingredients dry in a bowl

Add the water and knead until a smooth dough is formed

Then add the tablespoon of oil over the dough

Cover with a cloth and leave to rest for 1 hour
or until double its size

The dough looks ready now

Spread a thin layer oil over the surface you're using

and make little balls about 2 inches in diameter.

Heat the oil over a medium to high flame...

and spread the bara dough with your hands

Fry on both sides for 7 to 10 seconds

and then drain on paper towels

Note: Usually when the bara is done it is placed in an ice box or cooler. So in a sense the bara is somewhat steaming while on its way to the doubles stand. This, to me, could account for the flattened soft appearance of the bara and also the piping hot doubles that you get when you buy from a doubles vendor.

CHANNA

Soak the channa overnight,

and put to boil.

About 25 minutes later add the baking soda

Continue boiling for about 30 minutes or until soft

The channa is ready now

Heat the oil over a medium flame.

Mix the curry, geera, and masala in 1/4 cup of water and add to the pot.

Then add the onion and garlic,

and saute until golden and the curry is just about to get dry.

Add the channa

and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour enough water to cover the channa.

When its nearly finished mash a few of the channa to form a sauce.

Mix in the finely chopped chadon beni and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

The finished channa

Ok everything is cooked and ready but how do we eat doubles? I'll show you.

Overlap two bara on wax paper,

add the channa,

and any condiment of your choice. Here, I have pepper sauce,
chadon beni chutney, mango chutney and pommecythere kuchela.
I couldn't find space to add coconut chutney and some tambran (tamarind) sauce :-)

Then wrap

Note: The wrapping was done slowly to show the technique but this is usually done quickly, in one smooth movement.

One doubles to go; with everything!

Hope you enjoyed the doubles recipe. More recipes to come. Bye! Ah gone.

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