Learn How to Make Trinbagonian Doubles With Two Renowned New Orleans Chefs

Queen Trini Lisa and Mason Hereford cook up the fried, chickpea-filled treat on Instagram Live

Is there a more universally appealing food than fried bread?

In Trinidad and Tobago, fried bread is a staple in the form of doubles. The popular street food snack — enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a second, later dinner — consists of fried flatbreads spiced with turmeric, sandwiching a curried chickpea filling (it’s vegan, too). And as Queen Trini Lisa — a New Orleans chef who hails from Trinidad and has doubles on the menu at her eponymous “island soul food” restaurant — frequently puts it, “More doubles, less troubles!”

As part of our Eater at Home series, Lisa showed fellow New Orleans chef Mason Hereford of Turkey and the Wolf just how Trinbagonian doubles are done on Instagram Live, from the spiced chickpea filling to a mango chutney finish. Check out the recipe below and watch the chefs walk through the entire process on Instagram.

Mango Chutney

Photo by Mason Hereford

1 firm mango, peeled and diced into medium pieces
2 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon of Tabasco Sauce
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt

Trinbagonian Doubles

For the dough:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil for separating the dough, plus more to fill a medium pan with
1 ¹⁄₂ cups of warm water
¼ teaspoon brown sugar

For the chickpea filling:
2 15-ounce cans of cooked chickpeas
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons of curry powder
1 teaspoon of geera powder (ground roasted cumin seeds)
3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons of Tony’s seasoning salt or your favorite brand (Kosher salt works well as a substitute)

1 cucumber, grated (for serving)

Start by making the mango chutney. Blend mango, Tabasco Sauce, cilantro, and salt in a blender or food processor on high until completely incorporated. Set aside.

Next make the dough: Mix the flour, baking powder, dry yeast, turmeric, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Make a well in the middle and slowly pour in the water. (Depending on the brand of flour, you may need a little more or less water.) Incorporate the ingredients by hand and knead the dough while spinning the bowl until it’s ready, about 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes, or until the dough roughly doubles in size.

While the dough rests, make the chickpea filling: Blend the onion, garlic, and cilantro until finely minced in a blender. Add the oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder and briefly sauté. Add a splash of water to form a paste. Then add the blended ingredients and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook for about 20 minutes, until they are softened enough to be easily mashed with a wooden spoon. Season with the seasoning salt as you go. Finish by folding in the geera powder. Set aside.

Begin frying the dough by heating a heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat. Add about half an inch of oil to the pan and get it nice and hot (350 degrees ideally). Tear a couple golf ball-sized pieces of dough from the bowl — coating them in a splash of oil — and flatten on a plate, cutting board, or counter. (The oil makes it easy to flatten the dough without it sticking to your fingers or to the surface.) Working one at a time, fry each piece of dough for 5 to 10 seconds, then flip and let fry for another 5 to 10 seconds. Move to a paper towel lined plate or bowl.

Add a spoonful of the chickpea filling on top of the fried dough. Garnish with grated cucumber, mango chutney, and Tabasco Sauce.