Trinidad Doubles with Curried Chickpeas & Chutneys
Trini Doubles
Doubles are Trinidad & Tobago’s most beloved street snack — two soft fried bara folded around hot curried channa and bright chutneys. It’s the sort of food that makes you smile with the first bite: warm, tangy, spicy and utterly moreish.
This recipe keeps things simple and home-friendly: quick fried bara, an easy curried chickpea filling, plus a sticky tamarind sauce, cooling cucumber chutney, and a punchy pepper sauce. Fry, fill, fold and eat immediately for authentic results.
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Instant yeast
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric (optional)
- 3/4 cup Warm water
- 1/4 cup Vegetable oil (for dough + frying)
- 2 cups Vegetable oil (for frying)
- 2 15 oz cans Canned chickpeas, drained
- 2 tbsp Yellow curry powder
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 piece Onion, finely chopped
- 3 pieces Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1/2 cup Water (to thin curry)
- to taste Salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp Fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tbsp Tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 piece Cucumber, grated and squeezed
- 1 tbsp Lime juice
- 2 pieces Green onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp Plain yogurt (optional for chutney)
- 1 piece Scotch bonnet or habanero (for pepper sauce)
- 2 tbsp White vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Sugar (pepper sauce)
- 4 pieces Lime wedges (to serve)
Instructions
-
Make the bara dough: whisk flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar, salt and turmeric in a bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup oil and 3/4 cup warm water until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead briefly (1–2 minutes) and cover to rest 20 minutes.
-
While dough rests, make the channa: heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 4–5 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic, curry powder and cumin and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
-
Add drained chickpeas, tomato paste and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 8–10 minutes, lightly smashing some chickpeas with the back of a spoon to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and stir in chopped cilantro. Keep hot.
-
Make tamarind sauce: whisk tamarind paste with 2 tbsp water and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Warm gently until sugar dissolves and sauce is glossy; adjust sweetness or tang to taste. Remove from heat.
-
Make cucumber chutney: squeeze excess liquid from grated cucumber, then mix with lime juice, green onion, cilantro and yogurt (if using). Season with salt. Chill briefly.
-
Make pepper sauce: blend scotch bonnet, vinegar, 1 tbsp water, garlic (use sparingly), sugar and pinch of salt until smooth. Thin with a little water if needed and reserve in a small bowl.
-
Shape and fry bara: divide dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each into a 4–5 inch disc, dusting lightly with flour. Heat oil in a deep skillet to 350°F (medium-high). Fry discs one or two at a time until puffed and golden, about 45–60 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels.
-
Assemble doubles: place a hot bara on a plate, spoon a generous portion of hot curried chickpeas in the center, drizzle tamarind sauce and spoon cucumber chutney on top, add a little pepper sauce to taste. Fold or press the bara around the filling and eat immediately.
-
Serve extra chutneys and lime wedges on the side for guests to customize their doubles.
Tips & Notes
- Resting the dough makes bara soft and easier to puff — don’t skip the 20 minutes.
- If you can’t find scotch bonnet, use habanero or a serrano for the pepper sauce, and adjust to heat preference.
- Keep the channa hot when assembling so the bara soaks up flavor and stays soft — doubles are best eaten right away.