Trinidad Doubles (recipe)
As I’ve written in the past Trinidad doubles is the ultimate local street food. It’s cheap. Usually hot/warm. Hearty. Filling. The below video, from the bookmann, is for the old skool style of doubles with 2 bara that form a ‘chickpea sandwich’. These days doubles vendors more often will make one large bara that is then folded over to enclose the curried channa filling. You can see that method in the below video! 
One large thin bara may be good for speed and profits but let’s not let the 2 bara method die out either, it is after all how doubles got its name! Plus it’s cute!
By the way, I’ve seen online several people mentioning that their bara tends to come out like fried bake (bready?) … So I should let readers know that done right bara should be spongy and pillowy, light and chewy and very flexible/bendable If you are one of those with fried bake results drop me a line and I’ll try to troubleshoot 
Trinidad Doubles
(adapted from a recipe in the Naparima Girls’ High School Cookbook)
INGREDIENTS:
Bara:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon gheera (cumin)
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 teaspoon yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 tsp sugar
Oil for frying
Filling (Curried Channa):
1 14 oz channa, tinned
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tsp ground geera (cumin)
1 tsp Pepper sauce
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
METHOD:
1. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, curry powder and gheera.
2. In a separate small bowl place the warm water, sugar and yeast and set to sponge for 5 minutes.
3. To the flour, add the yeast mixture and enough water to make a slightly firm dough.
4. Mix well, cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours.
5. For the filling, heat the oil in a heavy skillet, add onion, garlic and 1 heaped tablespoon of curry powder mixed with 1/4 cup water.
6. Sauté for a few minutes.
7. Add the channa, stir to coat well and cook for five minutes.
8. Add 1 cup water, gheera, salt and pepper; cover, lower heat and simmer until the peas are very soft (20-30 minutes).
9. When the channa is finished it should be moist and soft.
10. Add pepper sauce and season to taste with additional salt if desired.
11. For the bara: The dough should be punched down and allowed to sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
12. To shape the bara, take 1 tablespoon of the dough and flatten to a round, 4 or 5 inches in diameter.
NOTE: Pay particular attention to how thin, flat, and oily/sticky these rounds are. If your rounds are thicker, dryer or heavier than this they will -not- come out with the right texture
13. Use oil to moisten palms of your hands so that the dough won’t stick to them 
14. Fry the baras in hot oil until puffy (about 15 seconds per side), turn once and drain on kitchen paper
15. When all are cooked, fill with channa by placing a heaping tablespoon of the cooked filling on each bara, covering with another to form a sandwich.
Makes 6 servings
as soon as i stop being so lazy, i’m gonna make some doubles. http://tinyurl.com/6gt3zj
Trinigourmet recipe for doubles – this is my most favorite fast food ever! http://tinyurl.com/6gt3zj
@trinigourmet I’m determined to make your doubles recipe. I love ‘em but the Trini place I like in my nabe is always out http://bit.ly/4P1v
Once again you have enlightened me to another great recipe. I just love the exposure the internet gives us to so many great cuisines and bloggers. Your photos are fantastic and mouth watering.
oh wow thanks so much sylvie
it really is yummy 
hope you get to give it a try or taste someone else’s one day 
ok here goes. I will admit now that I am harden!
I didnt follow the instructions. I used baking powder and egg white to do the leavening (just experimenting)
The things tasted like pohlorie! I loved it!
ALso they were kinda thick but still airy! Next time I will follow your instructions…But great recipe! Chennete also had it a while ago too!
yes, hers is a different one
i have it bookmarked to try as well 
NO EGG WHITES!! lolziez … you playing ALton Brown 
i realized that the bara batter is what a lot of the vendors using for pholourie
but you made that fast girl, i only posted it a few hours ago
It don’t take long once you catch a VAPS! hahahah
Yummy, yummy, yummy. I see you are on a street food roll. Hope to see more. I am really happy, I discovered your blog. I’m thoroughly enjoying it.
hi helen! yes! i’m in a street food frame of mind
lol 
cooking up today’s installment at the moment 
(stay tuned tomorrow 
) …
i was thinking that this recipe for the bara is probably quite similar to what you were looking for in pholourie… and so some testing between the two will probably get you what you want
i’m glad you found me too 
I have saved your recipe and as you suggested, I will play around with it for the phoulorie. Thanks. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s blog. teehee…..
hehe, i know how that goes
Mmmm doubles! I used to get them at a place called Patty King all the time.
oh wow
hehehe 
yuh have to try them made by trinis tho 
Nice. I went on a doubles craze a couple weeks ago – once I am on an airport. Mmmm. Now I want some again.
they were yum
made me want to open a stand! 
you back now? 
double delish
***steals two and runs awayyyyy***
i DON’T doubt it for a second!
Wicked recipe, Sarina! Doubles is a staple meal for a Trini any day of the year…lol
Hunger took me over one early morning and I couldn’t wait 1 and 1/2 hours for the dough to raise! (shame!) So I used instant yeast and it worked fab! Also added a touch of saffron and the bara came out with a lovely light golden colour…
Keep up the good work with bringing us Trinis together!
thanks juliette!
Hi Sarina,
Thanks for this recipe, and all the great how-to photos. I lived in Grenada for a couple of years, and doubles were one of my favorite foods. Tonight I was thinking, why not try to find a recipe and make them yourself? (There’s no one at all selling them around my area of central Illinois!) I haven’t had one in years. I must try this soon and post about it.
Ooh — doubles!
thanks for the kind words lisa
i have visited your site and added you to my blogroll 
i hope you get a chance to try the doubles recipe and that you enjoy it. Do let me know how it all turns out! 
Thank you so much for posting this! I recently met a lovely Trini girl who was visiting Taiwan — she hasn’t been home in almost two years, so I went looking for a taste of home to share with her. Your doubles recipes was perfect! So easy to make, and she said they were just like home. Made her cry, even! She says I am family now, and must come see her when she gets back to Trinidad. Ah, the power of food.
Thanks again!
oh kat, thank you sooo much for sharing this, it brought tears to my eyes
I never thought that my recipes would or could ever be used this way 
I’m so happy I could play a part in bringing a smile to your friends face and that I could help her feel a little less homesick 
*hug*!
Hi everyone
I am a student here in the USA and I am doing a paper on Trinidad foods. I have to create a menu, which I did with all the doubles ,aloo pie, Pelau etc etc. Now every Trini would know what I am talking about but it is difficult for me to try and explain some dishes, its contents etc. Is there someone out there who can help me? Point me in the right direction where I can maybe get like a Trini Dictionary for foods or something…
Thanks
Hi Andrea
Thanks for visiting TriniGourmet.com 
There was a site that I found a while ago that seemed to provide what I think you are looking for 
You can find it here:
http://www.usm.maine.edu/~amoroso/Timothy/TriniFood.html
I also found this:
http://www.tobagowi.com/data/fooddrinks.htm
I hope they help!
Hi. Just had a bunch of friends over for a doubles and they completely loved them. Great recipe and instructions. Thanks so much. Do you know if the doubles can be baked instead of fried for a lighter taste?
hi jeff! so glad the recipe was a success with you and your friends
i’ve never had, tried, or heard of baked bara before, I imagine the texture would be a bit different and the result would be flatter. Give it a try though if you’re so inclined and let me know how it turns out 
[...] pastries and cakes. Try the coconut rolls, if you get a chance. Not to be missed are the “doubles.” Available only Wednesday through Saturday, “doubles” are an indigenous street [...]
I must have did something wrong after you add the 1/3 cup of water then it says to add enough additional water to form a slightly stiff dough is where i believe my problem lies my husband is trini and he doesnt know either LOL!
Oh dear Shirley, sorry to hear about the mishap
If the bara came out more like bake/bread you probably didn’t add enough water, the dough should be relatively loose one, see how thin and stretchy they are in the picture above (before they are fried?) Try adding more water until you have a mixture that feels ‘gooey’ 
It’s me again, sneaking over on your site for the millionth time!
I had heard of doubles before but didn’t know exactly what they were. I was thinking along the lines of some sort of card game or something. LOL.
Doubles look similar to ham biscuits that we have here in the U.S. in the southern states like North Carolina.
My baking is scary (and working with any kind of dough), so I must confess that I won’t be preparing your doubles recipe anytime soon.
I’ll wait for when my Mom visits and I’ll make her do it.
[...] bara, covering with another to form a sandwich. (Post and picture reproduced with permission from here. Do check out the additional pictures, video and tips at that [...]
Well, is years ah tryin to make a decent doubles but no real success…ah hopin dat the secrets revealed here will put me on the path to true doubles heaven…wooooh!!
I honestly love Trini food as much as I love their women, I have no clue which one is better
. This gourmet Trini pictures got me fiending. I cant cook but I sure as hell need to marry a woman who can do this plus more lol
hi there ,i need a recipe for pone havn’t had it in years and can’t find it in this america ,please help
hi trinis,u know the chinese fry chicken that we get in those chinese restaurants in trinidad? does anyone have the recipe for that? florida chinese food comes no where close to trinidad style chinese food.thanks
I tried this recipe today except I used self rising flour, added 1 tsp of baking powder, and didn’t add salt. I did that because this was the way they made it a roti shop where I worked a few years ago. Man were they goood!!! I soaked tamarind and added sugar, blended green seasoning, garlic and pepper to make a sauce and that came out great too. Thanks so much for posting such a manageable recipe. Most recipes for doubles I’ve encountered start with “take 5 lbs of flour….”
I haven’t been home in Trinidad for a long time. I’m going to make some doubles tomorrow.
I am going to try this recipe,I would also like to get a recipe for Trinidad beef pies.
Dis i go have to try out! Just decided to start trying out all kind of Trini dishes dat i eh know how to make yet.
This recipe is pretty good. I have made it two times so far. I used my bread machine to knead the dough both times.
The first time I made it, I fried all the bara and left them on a plate out in the open…but they got sort of hard. It was still edible mind you and good enough to give it another shot.
The second time I put a little bit of dhal flour in with the regular flour…that wasn’t such a good idea as it made the bara a bit dense. What made it better than the first time though, is that I didn’t leave the bara exposed and assembled the doubles at the same time. I fried one bara, took a scoop of channa, put it in the bara then fried another bara and put it on top, then wrapped it up in wax paper right away, just like when you buy it. That way they kept soft.
I’m in Canada, so yes unfortunately, I have gone in search of doubles and received “fried bake.” In addition, I have also received “dinner roll” and “pie crust” varieties. Thanks for this recipe. At least now I can make them myself instead of paying for those abominations
I’ve never found these in the Midwest, although I’ve asked around. It’s somewhat difficult to get the proper texture, but as long as you make sure the dough is slack and wet, everything should come out okay!
Topchef at http://www.epicureforum.com
Your Mise En Place for restaurants, recipes, and everything food!
Hi, Thank you so very much for your recipe. It almost made me cry when eating it for the 1st time in 8 years. I have been living and working in India for 8 years and although they have something similar called Chole bhatura, it just didnt quite make the cut. My Russian Fiance and Indian friends flipped when they tasted it. Thank you so much for giving a Trini so Far away from home a taste of home.Do keep up the marvelous work you are doing and May God Continue to bless you…
Nick…
first try i messed up the barra…i kept the channa till the next day and followed your instructions more closly and they came out fantastic….i need too find hot peppers too make some heat 4 these recipies….tanks dds
My friend and I tried this recipe and it was delicious. Thanks!
Just to let you know that I recognize the doubles vendor in the video. He is located opposite the 1 Woodbrook Place construction site by Roxy. He has a great pepper sauce and his channa is full of flavour. Strange how we can recognize things not only by the faces but the small glimpses of the surroundings. A taste of home.
I tried the recipe, I think I followed the directions but am a bit confused as so how soft the mixture has to be, it was sticking to my hands so i couldn’t quite spread it out.I ‘m also thinking maybe the old was too hot cuz they got crispy…what do ¥ou think? I also found the chana quite salts…is that just me ? maybe i’ve been eating salt less food for too long=S
I’ll try it again some time soon, i’m sure if i try enough i’ll get it right evenually, Thanks
Once again, I’ve only heard about Doubles ONCE on a non-food website. The way the ladies were raving about it, when I came upon your website and saw the name, I knew exactly what they were referring to. I love chick peas! Your doubles look yummy!
It’s a shame where as of April 1st you doubles lovers have to pay as much as $5TT for a doubles
Sarina,Sarina,Sarina!!God bless your heart!
Last evening I tried your doubles recipie and let me just say to all you bloggers, YOU CAN’T GET A BETTER DOUBLES RECIPIE THAN THIS!! I borrowed Juliet’s idea and added safron for the authentic bara colour[1 level tsp], and from Mishimee the wax paper to keep them soft, although while making them when I pulled for wax paper it was finished so!I used a damp tea towel to blanket them in.the result!I was ready to open a doubles stand in Luxembourg.I also married the bara with Birtie’s pepper sauce,the best.My husband who is not Trini but boldly thinks he is Bara specialist suggested that we have the treat at least twice a week.
God bless you Sarina,thank’s for adding riches to our life.
I have to say, i made these after listening to him rave about doubles for the past year. He used to get them from a street vendor in New York while living there a few years ago. I was a little hesitant, i didn’t know what to to expect. I was immensely pleased with how everything turned out, they were super yummy!! My husband loved them, and i’m sure they will be a staple in our home from here on out!
It is great to see a Caribbean blogspot
You can check mine out
It is very new but it is getting a little traffic
http://barbadianvegan.blogspot.com/
It is a barbadian vegan website I created to show the world that being a vegan ( someone who does not eat fish, meat,milk eggs or honey) is fun and tasty
Tay
OMG..i really miss trini food and now that i am here in egypt with several trinidadians, they are really bringing up the nostalgia. anyway, i want to make the doubles but i need to know how to make the pepper sauce or what is a good substitute. also do you have saltfish recipes, like the one that goes in the bakes?
Hi, I was taught how to make Doubles by Ali himself, years ago. This was so I could make my own when I was not in Trinidad.
. I notice that most of the roti recipes make the doe as for standard bus-up-shut. I was taught to cook and grind split peas into a seasoned powder which is then added to the middle of each ball of roti doe, before it is rolled out ready for cooking.
I also learned how to make Roti, taught by 5 Indian ladies, who thought it was highly amusing that an Englishman would want to learn such a thing. They didn’t know that an English army marches on it’s stuomach
Anyway, if anyone wants to exchange emails or chats about Trini food, I am here. I just love making doubles and all the other things that evoke all the memories of 20 odd happy years visiting TT for Carnaval etc.
Haven’t been down for years, but that is going to happen soon.
Bye for now
Hey,
Is Ali from south ? Kindly help me with his recipe for doubles.I would like to make some.Thanks
Just made some, followed recipe and it came out brilliant. Just like in the shops. Very very nice, my husband ate all in one go. Do you have any for pholourie?
Patricia – I do have pholourie!
Check it out here 
http://www.trinigourmet.com/index.php/pholourie-recipe/
I’m from Sweden and fell in love with Trinidadian cuisine when I moved to Brooklyn in 1997. I’ve been looking for a recipe of doubles that tastes just like my local roti shop and this is it! THANK YOU!
I am so impressed to find this site. I had doubles this morning for breakfast which I bought at the Aranguez Savannah (Yes I live in Trinidad)and I was thinking that I want to learn to make them myself (since doubles prices are on the rise) I googled “west indian foods – doubles and found this site. It is amazing that people have been blogging on this site since February 2007 and they are all excited to be able to have just a little bit of “home” far away from home.
Sarina good job… and all you Trinis out there the closes reminder to home is usually the food so cook on and enjoy a bit of Trini again if only in taste..
Can you give a more detail explaination on mixing the flour? eg,measurement of water to flour.i have alot of problems needing the flour.
hi i m staying in india n saw the recipe of trinidads DOBLES n it is just the trini version of avery famous north indian dish CHOLE BHATURE i hope it must be as delicious as indian chole bhature
I used to work in St. James where there were at least half a dozen doubles stands in less than a quarter mile. I had 2 Every Morning. Now I’m in New York City– does anyone know where I can get my doubles fix? I’m too scared to make them myself, and I’m dying without them!
Hi! I’m from Trinidad, but living in Calgary at the moment and have been looking for doubles for YEARSSSS!!!! When I got pregnant, I CRAVEDDD doubes sooo much, my husband (who is from Canada) found your recipie and was able to cook REAL TRINI DOUBLES !!!!!
Thanks so muchfor postin!!
hi this picture of doubles that you have on your site is very disturbing… it’s gross doubles bara is usually thin not thick like fried bake… i think that your picture can be a turn off for people who never had doubles before…
Doubles is great i love doubles and i grave it on a daily basis and i’m not pregnant… but that picture of your doubles is not very attractive and it’s not inviting to people who know what good doubles look like…
Hi Jul, thanks for the comment, however what you are describing is roadside doubles. That is a thinner, more flexible version of bara because *drumroll* they dilute the FLOUR batter for greater profitability… They are a modern convenience. My bara are nothing like fried bake, unless you are confused by extreme closeups… They are pretty much like those of fellow food blogger Chennette (who also laments the diluted roadside versions) http://www.flickr.com/photos/chennette/339130528/in/photostream/ The perennial popularity of this post and the feedback in the comments above, as well as in private messages, lets me know that there is nothing offputting about the picture or recipe for a large number of my Trini visitors, sorry that you weren’t one of them.
Hi Thanks for the doubles recipes. My wife is trini and we are living in australia. We made them yesterday and they were soooo gooood. My wife had a squeal of joy.
It’s been 5 years since I’ve had a double. I’ll make some for breakfast soon.
Next on the list is buss up shut.
many thanks
Darryl – So glad to send some Trini cheer ‘down under’, they are the perfect breakfast food!!
This was amazing. I’m the luckiest guy in the world
And this picture of doubles is just FINE! Not a thing wrong with it. Makes me feel for some of your home made doubles right now, actually!
Hi
I was just searching for how many calories in a typical doubles?
Anyone have an idea?
Thanks and all the best for 2009
Joseph
I absolutely loved this recipe. I went to Trinidad last year and tried doubles for the first time. Couldnt get them anywhere in Canada; followed your recipe to a tee and perfect. My Trini friends loved them Thanks so much
Thanks so much Jackie!
I am so happy that so many people have had success and created happy memories by making this recipe 
hi miss Sarina,
i must congratulate you on this wonderful website…
But i have to agree with jul…who said the pic of the bara look more like bake…i have known the bara to be soft,thin,and fluffy…there was a next recipie in here by a lady who used eggs…was that deleted? because i truly think that was the correct way of making bara….
Hi Lisa, thanks for your comment
It’s great to have these perspectives! As stated above my own experience is similar to Chennette’s in that we are familiar with a homestyle doubles that is not bendable, like the roadside version ( http://flickr.com/photos/chennette/339130528/in/photostream/ ) however it is -not- as thick as bake. I will take new pictures whenever I get a chance as these pictures were made in the dying days of my first digital camera and I think the lack of objects of scale has misled some to think they are larger than they are and to confuse the bubbles as thickness. My sense of angles has gotten much better since ‘06 
I have never met a recipe that uses eggs, and this is the first time I’m hearing of an egg based dough, maybe it was on another site? I’m sure that many have come up with their own variations along the way, however this version is the one that I think delivers the most satisfying combination of flavour and ‘comfort food’ factor. From personal experience I have found that the recipe for pholourhie when made -slightly- denser comes close to the roadstyle vendor version if that’s what you prefer, however I think it would be a shame to dismiss different more old school ways out of hand. Many of the adjustments that were made over the years were done so to increase profits by diluting the ratio and quality of ingredients. That they have slipped into the public consciousness as the ‘right’ way means that older ways are being lost and that’s more than a little unfortunate. The taste and filling quality of this recipe is really something, give it a try
Hi there, I’m loving this site!
Can anybody help a desperate woman! I’m just back from my hols where I managed to develop a serious addiction to Roti, now I’m back in the UK I would really love to learn how to cook them myself so that I can eat them on demand! Does anybody have an authentic Trini recipe for roti & curry chicken. (we all know it goes without saying that Trini roti’s are the best, so it just has to be an authentic Trini recipe).
I’ll be grateful for any help!
Thanks!
Hi Sarina,
A great recipe – love it! Living in Alberta, Canada where there isn’t much cultural stuff from back home – you’ve made my family’s day. CIAO!
Debbie.
OMG I have to go make this now. Can’t get doubles in my area of Pennsylvania and I don’t get back to Boston enough. Thanks for the recipe.
Brian – Have you tried Brown Sugar bakery in Philly?
I know the area but have not been there. Ok, I will check it out this coming weekend. Thanks
Anyone knows where I can get some good doubles and/or Trini food in Winnipeg, Manitoba???
I used this receipe last week and it came out really good. with the instant yeast you don’t have to wait 1 1/2hr anymore.
The stretching of the pieces of dough before u fry i used oil on my hands but i was at the double stand a couple days ago and she used water to stretch it out thin and then fried it.
However, my taste is that I should use less geera in the channa, the one i used seems to be strong.
otherthan that i am now a chinee that makes doubles.
Working on my stand and slogan soon! hahaha
Awsome recipe!
I am making them for the 3rd time right now.
this is the only doubles recipe I could find online.
Thank you so much for posting it!!
Hmm well i trieddd it but its not coming out nice and flat like how they make it on the street! Oh well i guess it isn’t too bad
Was in Trinidad and had Doubles at everal places best ones was at airport will now try to make some Was different never saaw here in my Belize
PS I bought a cook Book
The doubles in the airport is nice. But there are so many others all over trinidad.
Try this recipe. There are couple adjustments i made. There is no need to wait since there is instant yeast. Don’t use too much geera in the channa since its so strong. and use water on your hands to stretch the bara before frying
Farzia said:
Anyone knows where I can get some good doubles and/or Trini food in Winnipeg, Manitoba???
——————
Re: Try Deen’s at 205 Marion St. in St. Boniface
Good doubles and music
Anyone knows where I can get some good doubles and/or Trini food in Orange County, California?
ana said:
Farzia said:
Anyone knows where I can get some good doubles and/or Trini food in Winnipeg, Manitoba???
——————
Re: Try Deen’s at 205 Marion St. in St. Boniface
Good doubles and music
______
Re: I did try Deen’s at 205 Marion street….. that ain’t doubles!!! And it didn’t have music either!!!! The place look real run down… it was sad!!! I got all excited… doubles in Winnipeg!!! Not one fart yes!!!! The “doubles” was so terrible, I ain’t order nuttin else!!!! I walked out the place wanting to cuss the fella yes!!! How he cuda watch a trini in they eye and tell them that is doubles!?!?!?!?! On a scale 1 – 10 (10 being the best), I would rate that place MINUS 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It have any other place in Winnipeg for REAL TRINIDAD doubles?????
Hi great recipe! one of my all time favorite foods, my doubles shop has moved but now I’m making them myself!. Thanks
i tasted one in oropouch
i TELL YOU I RECOMENDIN THE SITE 2 PPL all because
WE LOSING HTE ART OF MAKIN DOUBLES
i tried it (nearly burnt ma house down)
but it tasted very well
This is the 2nd time I’ve come across this post and it’s the 2nd time I’ll be driving to Toronto to buy some doubles. Those pictures get the greedy juices flowing in my mouth and I can’t stop, but think about doubles and amazing peppersause that Drupatis bathes my doubles with.
Chris De La Rosa’s last blog post..Tasty Trinidad style stew chicken recipe.
I *love* this recipe. I visited Trinidad for a couple weeks staying with a wonderful trini woman (bringing back some of her homemade pepper sauce), and during that time we probably went to Independence Square about 20 times to get doubles. When I got home I started using this recipe to cook them for everybody I know (not one person I’ve served has failed to rave about them).
A couple personal touches I use are:
Only 1-1 1/2 tsp of geera, as 2 tsp seems a bit too strong, maybe the standard geera in the US is too strong for this recipe? If I add too much I have to drain off some of the curry liquid, add some more curry powder and some more water. Playing with the channa to get the curry just right makes it exquisite even without the bara.
For the bara I prefer using the Durum Atta flour Indians use for roti/chapati – though I’m not Indian, I love the roti
Using this flour also seems to have the darker color that I remember from the street vendors in Port of Spain, but I could be wrong, not sure what flour they typically use in Trinidad. In the US pretty much every major city has an Indian grocery store you can get it from. If you’re lucky enough to be in NYC, brooklyn, queens and the bronx all have trini/carribean grocery stores.
Thanks again Sarina, me and those around me will have a little bit of Trinidad in our hearts and stomachs for the rest of my life thanks to this recipe!
What is the doubles man in the video putting on his doubles. There appears to be three buckets. He puts something from all of them on the doubles. One bucket has to be the channa but what is in the other two?
Ok Gyul,
I tried the recipe and it was da bomb.But i made some adjustments and i’ll like to suggest a very specific way to shape the things.Well i halved the curry and geera in the flour, it was less intense and did not take from the flavor of the channa.Of course no true gourmet is gonna follow that channa recipe, so make it to please you,I chopped up idaho potatoes really small and sauteed those first with the curry powder before adding any liquid, added white pepper and cayenne, which gives it a nice punch but “DOH BUN YUH MOUFF.,BUT DAT IS JUST ME”.
Well the dough was a messy goop and kinda intimidating at first, but with liberal amounts of oil on yuh hands rip off a golf ball sized glob and place it on an oiled ceramic plate “YEH THE TYPE YUH EAT ON” proceed to massage it into a ” circle like” shape and bob’s your uncle.This was my first time making doubles and it received rave reviews.Keep up the good work.
I’m glad I found this site while looking for a sorrel recipe and now my mouth is watering seeing all the Trini foods that I miss so much. It brings back good memories. Keep up the good work people. Trini to de bone in Boston.
if u have good trindad dishes to share with me please let me know at missmarshar@yahoo.com at anytime thank you
Muumford in Brooklyn…
I feel for you. But I shore by now…every trini in Brooklyn show you wear to go. I am in California Now. When I lived in Brooklyn, off the corner of Nostrand and ‘ something ‘ 4 blocks from the ‘A’ train stop on Flatbush…As you climb the stairs..there is a doubles shop…….and a line to join……. failing that , take the A-train..towards the airport. There are 2 trains. One Goes to Far Rockaway…NOT-THAT-ONE…take the one to Lefferts Blvd. take it ALL the way to the last stop. As you decend the stairs from the elevetaed platform, you will ’see’ St James in front of you . You can smell it. Go East…away from the train..for the next 8 blocks…..you will find Every-thing Doubles and GOLD……Alis’ roti…..has a line also..especially in the morning. Enjoy. Remember to leave the shop before it closes.
Ohh Yes Mr Mumford.
The A-train to Lefferts, stops AT Liberty Ave. It runs east-to-west….
Just take a walk to the east. If You are in Jamaica, I think the 112 bus takes you there also.
[...] my search there was one recipe that came up over and over again. And for good reason apparently because it was great! I played [...]
[...] I would send you to these lovely sites which are Trinidadian and they know doubles better than me Trinigourmet and [...]
I want to surprise my (Trini) husband with this recipe..im a quick study but I need help can I use any brand of curry powder, cumin, channa, and pepper sauce??? I just want this to come out perfect for him….
I enjoyed reading your receipe for bara and all the comments. Growing in Trinidad and eating doubles by my school will never be forgotten. My question to you is could I put yeast in my flour to make dalpari roti. I have been using baking powder but I still want to make it lighter. I have a lot of people enjoy what I make but I think I can make it lighter. I feel good when I am complimented.
Dear Edmee, so glad you are enjoying the blog! I am not sure that yeast is necessary to lighten your dough. The key to the lightness of ‘breads’ like roti is the number of layers of fat that you can get in the flour. It’s the oil that creates little pockets and the sense of ‘airiness’ or ‘lightness’ in the dough in the cooking process. What I would advise is trying to create as many layers of fat by using a solid ghee instead of a liquid (if that’s what you are using), and to also try to keep the dough as cool as possible before it hits the tawa… This should make a difference, let me know
Yeast may change the taste too much and make it a little ‘breadier’. Let me know! Best Wishes 
Hey Sarina;
Do you know where I can get a recipe for fried channa or fried split peas? I’ve been trying to make them but the consistency is never the same. I’m either hitting or missing…HELP!!!
Belle – you know I’ve never tried to make them myself yet? It’s just so easy to grab and go here
Let me look into that one for you 
Home made bara is made of urdi& flour , one can get ground urdi in the indian shops, any other is purely flour & saffron . My g/ma made these and they were the best ever — the vendors for the price they charge now can surely include this into their dough , really what they offer is not very healthy { the dough I mean } but the channa { chick peas are .
and guess what my g/ma bara came out thin & soft — guess some just have ” the hand for it”
Who in the world will use eggs in doubles — Oh PLS no trini uses eggs !! sorry –Wrong way !
I agree that the pics of the doubles looked thick , doubles do not tasted good when they are that thick — I am a trini , makes it all the time and it is very easy — use saffron in the dough & not curry Powder — also mix a little saffron in the curry for the channa[ CHICKPEAS } pls omit the onion and use garlic & shadow beni {cilantro} with a little geera with the curry paste to cook the chickpeas — DO taste BETTER ! TRUST ME ! mix them all together and fry in alittle oil before adding your chick peas .
It is not my intention to change the author recipe — but hey ! u got nothing to lose .
Thanks for all these wonderful recipies! I have a similar question to lost-n-FL. My husband tells me the standard yellow curry powder the grocery sells here is not the curry he used back home in Trinidad. Can anyone give me a brand or a name that would set apart the ‘correct’ curry powder he might be talking about? Thanks.
Dear Jo
You are looking for a madras curry blend. Local brands that can be found in Caribbean markets are Turban and Chief. You can buy it online at Trinifood.com, they have a wide variety. Here’s a link to one (just click around in that category) http://www.everythingtrini.com/commerce/product.php?productid=43&cat=0&page=1
Best of luck!
Thank you so much for your response! I will definitely check those out.
alluh gettin tie up like market crab …. dat is not how to make ah good dubbles….i never see any1 puttin curry in d bara … but ah no where day commin from .. we doh use curry in d flour we does ues saffron ….
Me and my 2 year old daughter are sitting here drooling! She was even saying “doubles” with her best Trini accent! LOL…amazing. Great photos, love the blog and I can tell you that my wife and I will be regulars here. Thank you for all your efforts to keep the dull and culinary-handicapped informed.
ah so used to eatin doubles wit cucumba and peppa and barely realizes i eatin it fus i so accustom to it so you could put real peppa and i won’t even take ah notice.
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[...] I am visiting my parents, the best snack is doubles. If you live downtown and think the doubles in Kensington market are good, you are wrong. Go to the [...]
Thanks for the kind words Kevin!
The curry is a twist of mine, started when I had run out of saffron. Tastes good
[...] Debe, a town in the south that is known here in Trinidad for having the best Indian snacks such as doubles (pillowy, crispy fried flatbreads wrapped around spiced chickpea, mango chutney, and pepper sauce), [...]
[...] via TriniGourmet.com » Trinidad Doubles (recipe). [...]
thank god for dis trini recipe.i love doubles n wanted to make sum for longest while n am so happy i found the recipe online cuz doubles vendors never tell you how they make them.goig to try sum now n il tell you guies how they came out.
hi i recently moved to pennsylvania from trinidad i live in Media which is kinda close to philly does anyknow where i can get trinidadian food that taste like trinidadian food? i have a really bad craving for doubles right now!
Hi,
Was wondering if anyone can help with the filling. When i went to T&T they put the pepper sauce and something green which is well yummy and i want to know what it is and how to make it…….i would really appreciate it.
Joe.
Hi,
Was wondering if anyone can help, apart from the yummy pepper sauce what is the green stuff that goes into the doubles? I believe its onion mixed with something…………can anyone help please.
Joe.
I’ve tried your recipe before and it is GREAT. Reminds me a bit of Sauce doubles at Curepe junction!
I was wondering if you had any suggestions on how to make the recipe on a larger scale… In April there is a reunion for a bunch of missionaries who lived in Trinidad for a while (myself included). I was thinking of making some doubles to share with everyone. There will probably be about 50 people at the reunion.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
I used this recipe and they were great, however, the only thing i thought was odd is i used the specified amount of yeast but it hardly rose in the 90 mins i gave it…….i was using a fast acting yeast…..should it rise to double the size as i only think it rose a 1/4 size………also is saffron better to use than curry powder in the Bara?
Precious – Try the Brown Sugar Bakery. I hear that they are quite good!
Nate – So glad that you liked. The recipe should multiply rather easily. Just make sure you have everything preassembled for production line ease
Joe – Saffron will add a slightly different flavour but it is a good replacement. I originally used curry powder cos I was out of turmeric and wanted the color but liked the flavour so i kept it that way. Adaptation and substitute to your liking. How much it rises will depend on the amount of gluten in the flour and the temperature you’re working in. As well as the age of the yeast. I would say the dough for me is usually around 50% higher… play around though. Humidity is also a factor in these things.
[...] Ruby of Mumbai prepared by hitting up the breakfast truck for some doubles: Breakfast doubles truck man, how I heart thee Look mami! No tamarind sauce on my [...]
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@Trinigourmet i googled "doubles in NYC" and you were on the front page. Tried 2 get hubby 2 bring some doubles down from NY, no success
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@Trinigourmet @veron Yeah, I maccoing the whole wheat roti vibes too. I think Curry Masala on Tragarete Rd does it - they did years ago.
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@Trinigourmet I'm in Tampa, Fl & eating 80% raw foods, but if I can fig out how to keep roti/curry in my life,I'd be forever grateful ;->
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*makes note to try tomorrow* RT @Trinigourmet: just posted Wholewheat Bake http://bit.ly/aQtoBZ
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