By Savannah, for Black History Month

Recipe submitted by Savannah, a Journalism student at London College of Communication, for Black History Month 🫓

Savannah's story: It is "one of my favourite dishes although it is not apart of Bajan/Jamaican culture, we still regularly eat these dishes."

This is a Trinidadian dish, using food origins from India fused with Caribbean spices. 

Trinidadian doubles recipe (curried chickpea flatbread sandwiches)

INGREDIENTS:

Bara (flatbread)

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp curry powder (ideally Trinidadian) or ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Curried chickpea (Channa) filling:

• 1 cup + 1 tbsp canola oil, divided
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp curry powder mixed with 1/4 cup water
• 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper sauce

METHOD:

Bara (flatbread)

1. In a small bowl, mix the water, yeast and sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes until foamy. 
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine flour, cumin, curry powder, salt and pepper. 
3. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Stir to combine, adding more water if needed to form a slightly firm dough. Cover with damp cloth and let rise in a warm place. Rise for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in volume. 

Curried chickpea (Channa) filling & assembly:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tbsp of oil and cook the onion, garlic and curry powder for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. 
2. Add chickpeas and stir to coat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well combines and heated through. 
3. Add the cumin, salt, pepper and 1 cup of water and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes until chickpeas are very soft. There should still be a sauce; if not, reconstitute with water to form a medium-thick sauce. Add the pepper sauce and stir to combine; set aside until ready to assemble. 
4. After the dough has risen, punch down and rest for 10 minutes. Dampen your hands with water or oil. Pull of tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and roll into 4.5-inch rounds; arrange on a baking sheet. Repeat until you have used up the dough and have an even number of rounds.
5. In a large deep pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 cup of oil. Fry the baras for 15-30 seconds on each side until puffed and golden. Drain on paper towels or a wire rack.
6. Place 1 bara on a plate. Spoon 1 tbsp of chickpea filling on top. Top with additional condiments as desired. 

Buss up shut paratha roti

Did you know that Buss up Shut means 'busted-up shirt'? The end product should be a layered, tender and buttery flatbread which is shattered or beaten to resemble a torn shirt. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1.5 tsps salt
• 1 tbsp ghee (butter or oil)
• 1 1/4 cup warm water or slightly more
• 1/3 cup shortening/butter
• 1/4 cup oil/ghee/melted butter for basting paratha

METHOD:

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 
2. Make a well and add oil followed by warm water. Knead dough for 30 seconds-1 minute to form soft and sticky dough. 
3. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Set aside and let it rest for 15-30 minutes.
4. Place each one piece on a heavily floured board and roll out dough into a circle. 
5. Using your fingers or knife, rub shortening/butter (about a tbsp) on the surface of the dough, lightly sprinkle with flour. 
6. Using a knife, make an opening from the centre of the dough. Roll clockwise to form a cone. 
7. Pleat the ends into the bottom of the cone and push cone tip inwards. Place in an oil pan and cover with a damp cloth. 
8. Repeat this process for the other pieces of dough and oil to prevent the dough from drying out. 
9. Let it rest for 2 hours or more covered. 
10. When ready to cook, heat up griddle/crepe pan/tawah to medium heat. 
11. Gently flatten out each cone and roll out. Begin rolling out the dough from the centre working outwards. 
12. Rotate the dough each time you roll it to make perfect circles (about 10 inches), ensuring they are thin at the edges. 
13. Gently place dough on the griddle. Heavily oil the other side of the dough making sure you oil the edges. 
14. Cook until tiny bubbles/air pockets appear on the top of the roti, then flip dough. 
15. Making the torn up shirts can be achieved in several ways: crush paratha with two spatulas while on the griddle; place paratha in large bowl with lid and shake; place in a clean cloth and shake. 
16. Serve warm. 

Contact:

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