Doubles

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the bara dough: in a bowl, mix the strong white flour, instant yeast, caster sugar, fine salt, and ground turmeric. Add the lukewarm water and neutral oil, then mix into a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead for 4 to 5 minutes until smoother; it should be supple rather than firm. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 10 minutes to relax and begin rising.

2. 2

   While the dough rests, start the curried channa. Heat the neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the small onion, finely diced, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened but not browned. Stir in the garlic, ground cumin, curry powder, and ground turmeric; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant so the spices bloom in the oil.

3. 3

   Add the canned chickpeas, drained, water, and fine salt. Simmer briskly for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lightly mash some of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon so the liquid thickens and clings; the finished channa should be moist and spoonable, not soupy. Remove from the heat.

4. 4

   Make the pepper sauce by mixing the scotch bonnet, shadow beni, lime juice, water, and fine salt in a small bowl. Let it stand for a few minutes so the flavours meld. Taste carefully and add a little more water later if you want it looser.

5. 5

   Divide the rested dough into 4 equal pieces and lightly oil your hands. Flatten each piece into a thin round about 10 to 12 cm wide; keep them slightly thicker at the centre so they puff evenly. Heat the neutral oil for frying in a small deep pan to about 180°C.

6. 6

   Fry the bara one at a time for about 20 to 30 seconds per side, gently splashing hot oil over the tops to encourage puffing. Turn as soon as they swell and show light golden patches; they should stay soft, flexible, and only lightly coloured. Drain briefly on paper.

7. 7

   To assemble each doubles, place one bara down, spoon over half of the curried channa, drizzle with some tamarind chutney and pepper sauce, then top with a second bara. Serve immediately while the bara are warm and tender.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •For authentic texture, keep the bara dough soft and slightly tacky; adding too much flour makes dense, bready bara instead of tender ones.
• •If shadow beni is unavailable, use a smaller amount of coriander plus a pinch of extra lime juice, though the flavour will be less traditional.
• •You may not absorb all the frying oil; nutrition is estimated assuming about 30 ml total oil is absorbed into the bara.
• •Serve with extra cucumber chutney or kuchela if you have it.

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