Trinidad Doubles

Doubles are traditionally served as a snack, and can be bought from roadside vendors in Trinidad. They are delicious and sustaining. The recipe I have worked from can be found here (http://caribbeanavenue.com/kitchen/recipes/doubles024.shtml). The recipe is adapted to make use of ingredients that are more readily available to North Americans. I have not been to Trinidad, but know people who have! ;-)

Find out why I find Doubles so fabulous here

This recipe is not as finicky as it looks, and regardless the results are well worth it!

Prep Time: 30 Min
Cooking Time: 25 Min
To Serve: 10 as Snack, or 3 – 4 as meal. Makes approximately 10+ doubles.

Ingredients:

Curried Chick Pea (Channa) Filling:

• 
  3 cans (each 19 oz/540 mL) chick peas, including liquid
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 mL)
• 1 tbsp curry powder (15 mL)
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (15 mL)
• 1-1/2 tsp toasted ground cumin (7 mL)
• Salt to taste

Barrah (dough patties):

• 3 cups warm water 750 mL
• 1 tsp saffron powder 5 mL (or few threads saffron sat for about 20 min in 1 Tbsp warm water)
• 1 tsp each baking powder and salt 5 mL
• 7 cups (approx.) all-purpose flour
• some Vegetable oil to work dough and moderately grease baking sheet

Condiment: Hot pepper sauces

Method

Channa Filling

In large pot over medium-high heat, bring chick peas and liquid to boil. Boil for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid.
Meanwhile, in separate saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook curry powder, onions, garlic and thyme, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup (125 mL) water and bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until mixture is thickened and forms a paste. Stir in an equal amount of the reserved chick pea liquid. Stir in chick peas and cumin. Season with salt to taste. Keep warm.

Barrah (the dough, or the Doubles patties)

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees. Moderately grease a baking sheet with oil.
In large bowl, whisk together water, saffron, baking powder and salt. Whisk in about half of the flour to make a smooth paste. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Dipping hands in oil to prevent sticking and adding more oil as necessary, knead dough until smooth.

Sprinkle work surface with flour and then with oil. Keeping hands oiled, break off pieces of dough the size of a walnut. With tips of fingers, flatten each piece into a very thin circle, about 4-inches (10 cm) in diameter, or bigger if can be managed. (Canuck girl’s cheating tip: A floured rolling pin might make things easier)

Place barrah on the moderately greased baking sheet and bake for 6 – 10 minutes at 375F.

Ideally when the barrah is baked it does not become too crunchy, which helps in the assembly stage. All is not lost if the barrah does become crunchy, the finished double will still be as good, but the barrah will not be able to be used as a wrap.

Assembly: Place one barrah on plate and top with a loving spoonful of Channa Filling, season with hot pepper sauce and top with another barrah. Alternatively, use 1 larger, thinner barrah for each double, and wrap the Channa in the barrah. Makes about 10+ "doubles".


**Karen’s note: The original recipe calls for deep frying the barrah, which I don’t feel is authentic based on my experiences. The double should not end up being greasy in any way. I have tried baking the barrah with minimal oil instead. I would welcome comments from those who have more experience in making breads, as ideally the Barrah should become a soft wrap to wrap the channa in.