Trinidadian doubles recipe

Doubles are a beloved street food in Trinidad. A thin, hand-stretched flatbread is first thrown into hot oil for a crisp finish, before being piled high with spiced chickpeas. Tailor to your taste with the crunch of fresh cucumber, plus the zesty heat of lime, pepper sauce and a drizzle of tamarind. This recipe by chef Sham Mahabir from Limin Southbank is brightly coloured, boldly flavoured, and dangerously addictive.

Ingredients

• 450g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp yeast
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tbsp sugar
• 30ml oil
• 1 tsp curry powder (optional)
• 2 tsp turmeric
• ½ a cup chopped onions, spring onions and coriander
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 Scotch bonnet (optional)
• salt to taste
• 2 x 400g cans chickpeas
• cucumber
• pepper sauce
• tamarind sauce

Method

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• To make the bara (flatbread), combine the flour, turmeric, yeast, salt and sugar, then add enough water to form a soft dough. Knead and drizzle some oil on top. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes, then roll into small balls. Flatten on an oiled surface and fry.
• Meanwhile, make the channa (chickpeas). Heat the oil. Add all the ingredients except the chickpeas. Fry for 5 minutes, adding water if necessary. Add the chickpeas, stir, and add water to cover them. Cook on slow to medium heat until tender. Crush the chickpeas to make the sauce thicker (if desired).
• Spoon the chickpeas on top of the flatbreads, and top with finely sliced cucumber, pepper or hot sauce and tamarind sauce.

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