Gusto TV Doubles Recipe - Fried Bread with Curried Chickpeas

Doubles (Trinidad and Tobago)

This Trinidad Doubles recipe recreates the Caribbean’s most beloved street food—fluffy fried bara flatbread smothered with aromatic curried chickpeas (channa), topped with fiery cucumber sauce and tangy tamarind, all layered with fresh cilantro. Featured on Global Street Eats with Devan Rajkumar, these iconic doubles deliver sweet-spicy-sour Trinidadian harmony that’s become the island’s national snack.

The Inspiration

Doubles originated in Trinidad’s Princes Town in the 1930s, created by cousins Nan and Emam Isa as an affordable street food that quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Now sold from colorful roadside carts across the island, doubles represent Carnival mornings, school lunch breaks, and late-night cravings—each vendor competing with their secret channa recipe and sauce ratios.

Devan Rajkumar brings authentic Trini doubles to Global Street Eats with respect for tradition: bara dough enriched with cumin-turmeric, chickpeas simmered with Caribbean curry powder and scotch bonnet, and dual sauces that balance heat, acid, and sweetness. One bite captures Trinidad’s multicultural soul—Indian spices, African frying techniques, and island creativity.

Ingredients

For the Baras (Flatbread):

3 cups (720ml) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (9.9ml) active dry yeast
1 tbsp (14.8ml) light brown sugar
½ tsp (2.5ml) baking powder
2 tsp (9.9ml) kosher salt
1 tsp (4.9ml) ground cumin
½ tsp (2.5ml) ground turmeric
1 ¼ cups (300ml) lukewarm water
Neutral oil for frying such as vegetable or canola oil

For the Channa (Curried Chickpeas):

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ tsp (1.2ml) baking soda
1 yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 green scotch bonnet chili, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 cup (240ml) water
1 ½ tbsp (22.2ml) Caribbean curry powder
1 tsp (4.9ml) ground cumin
1 ½ tsp (7.4ml) garam masala
½ tsp (2.5ml) nutmeg
2 tsp (9.9ml) lime juice
2 tsp (9.9ml) salt
2 tbsp (29.6ml) neutral oil

For the Cucumber Sauce:

1 scotch bonnet pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1/3 cup (80ml) grated cucumber
1 lime, juiced

For the Tamarind Sauce:

¼ cup (60ml) tamarind paste
¼ cup (60ml) granulated sugar
½ tsp (2.5ml) grated ginger
¾ cup (180ml) water

Methods

Make the Baras:

Mix together the water and yeast in a small bowl and allow to sit until the mixture starts to bubble, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cumin, and turmeric. Add the water and yeast and mix until combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it becomes smooth, about 7 minutes, or continue mixing in the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 5 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and set aside until the dough has doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 8 portions and roll each one out until it is about 1/8 inch thick.
Heat 2 inches of oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat to 375 F (190 C). Working one at a time, carefully add a bara to the hot oil. Let the bara puff up for about 10 seconds, then carefully flip it and cook for another 20 seconds. Transfer the bara to a paper towel lined tray to drain and repeat with remaining bara.

Make the Channa:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chili and cook until the onion has softened slightly, about 5 minutes.
Add the curry powder, cumin, paprika, and nutmeg and stir to combine, cooking for about 2 minutes to toast the spices. Add in the chickpeas, water, baking soda, and salt and continue to cook for about 30 minutes, or until the curry has thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice.

Make the Sauces:

Wrap the grated cucumber in a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove any excess liquid. Mix together the scotch bonnet and cucumber in a small bowl.
Mix together the tamarind sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

To Finish:

Serve the baras topped with channa and cilantro leaves; leave the two sauces on the side for adding as desired.

Serving Suggestions

Trinidad doubles demand communal eating—stack baras on platters with channa, sauces, and cilantro in the center so everyone customizes heat level. Perfect for Carnival mornings, beach picnics, school lunches, or post-liming cravings. Serve with cold Carib beer, sorrel, or mauby; the fluffy bara soaks up rich channa while fiery sauces cut through fried richness. For parties, make mini doubles (16 smaller baras) arranged in colorful trays—guaranteed crowd-pleaser that sparks “roadside cart” nostalgia.

Final Thoughts

This Trinidad Doubles recipe captures the island’s street food soul: simple ingredients layered into complex flavor harmony. Devan Rajkumar’s authentic recipe honors Trini culinary tradition while making doubles accessible for every home cook. The magic happens when fluffy bara meets creamy-spicy channa and dual sauces—pure Caribbean genius.

Find more recipes from Global Street Eats here!