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Caribbean

Trinidadian Doubles

Trinidadian doubles with soft fried bara, curried channa, cucumber, and tamarind chutney.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 1 September 2026Updated

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Trinidadian Doubles

1 hr 10 mintotal

50 min hands-on20 min hands-off

Prep 25 min · Cook 25 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Medium
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

The bara dough rests for 20 minutes so the yeast can loosen the dough before quick frying.

Method

  1. Mix All-Purpose Flour, Active Dry Yeast, Baking Powder, 0.25 tsp Ground Turmeric, 0.25 tsp Salt, and Water into a soft dough.

  2. Cover the dough and rest it for 20 minutes, then divide it into four small balls.

    20 min

  3. Heat 1 tbsp Cooking Oil in a pan and cook Onion and Garlic for 2 minutes.

    2 min

  4. Add White Chickpeas, Curry Powder, Ground Cumin, remaining Ground Turmeric, remaining Salt, and 0.25 cup Water, then simmer until the channa is soft and lightly saucy.

  5. Flatten each dough ball into a thin round and fry in hot Cooking Oil for about 30 seconds per side.

    30 sec

  6. Place two bara on a plate, spoon the curried channa over them, and finish with Tamarind Chutney and Cucumber.

How to tell it's done

The bara should be pillowy and the channa should be tender with a lightly mashed, saucy texture.

Getting it right

Tip

The bara should be soft, not crisp; fry quickly and do not let them brown too much.

What to serve it with

Serve warm as a snack or light lunch with extra tamarind chutney on the side.

Common mistakes

The bara fry up crisp instead of soft and bendable.
Keep the oil at medium heat and fry each piece briefly. If they brown too deeply, the doubles lose their soft street-food texture.

Substitutions

  • Active Dry Yeast — Use Instant Yeast if needed, but mix it directly with the flour and watch the dough rather than the clock.
  • White Chickpeas — Use canned chickpeas for speed, but rinse them well and simmer long enough for a saucy channa.

Storing and reheating

Store bara, channa, and chutney separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the bara briefly in a dry pan or warm oven and loosen the channa with a splash of water; assembled doubles do not store well.