Want a flavorful chickpea recipe to accompany your homemade bara? Then try this doubles channa recipe. It has a really good texture like your local doubles man and great flavors.

To make this recipe, hydrate the dried chickpeas and split peas by soaking them overnight or boil for 3 minutes on high heat, then set aside to cool for 1 hour. Once plump, drain the water and pressure cook for 12 to 15 minutes before adding additional seasoning and cooking for another 5 minutes or so.

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Ingredients for doubles channa

For this recipe, you will need:

channa: also known as chickpeas or garbanzo beans. I usually use the dried beans for my recipe but you can use the canned version and skip the pre-soaking and pressure cooking steps.
dhal: also called yellow split peas. This helps to thicken the sauce.
baking soda: needed to soften the skin of the chickpeas which makes it easier for the peas to rehydrate and cook. I always use aluminum free baking soda.
Caribbean green seasoning: made with chadon beni or culantro, Spanish thyme, garlic and pepper. You can find green seasoning on Amazon, together with chadon beni. If you have the fresh ingredients, you can follow my green seasoning recipe too.
chadon beni leaves: these add wonderful, sharp, herbaceous flavor to the channa.
geera powder: also called cumin powder, this adds a wonderful smoky, peppery depth of flavor to the peas.
amchar masala powder: further enhances the smoky, roasted depth of flavor added by the cumin powder. Trini amchar masala usually contains ground cumin, coriander and mustard.
turmeric powder: adds to the color of the doubles channa.
salt: adjust to taste.
pepper: fresh pepper like pimento, scotch bonnets and chilis work best here but you can also substitute with chili powder and paprika.
water
optional ingredients: onion, garlic, curry powder, and more fresh herbs can all be added and adjusted to your taste preferences.

Equipment needed

For this recipe, I am using my good ole faithful Hawkins pressure cooker. But you can use an instant pot if you prefer.

How to make doubles channa

Soak the peas

Step 1: Check the channa and discard any bad peas. Rinse a few times and place in a large bowl filled with water. Do the same for the yellow split peas dhal. Remember the chickpeas will rehydrate and absorb a lot of water to triple in size. So, add enough water!

Step 2: Mix in the baking soda. Cover and set aside for anywhere from six hours to overnight. For faster soaking, place a small saucepan on high heat, add about 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the dried chickpeas and a pinch of baking soda to the pot and allow to boil for 3 minutes. Then, turn off the heat, leave to cool for 1 hour.

Step 3: Whether you used the slow or fast soaking method, when the chickpeas have plumped up nicely, drain the water. Add water again and rinse the peas several times.

Pressure cook the peas

Step 4: Add the washed channa and dhal to your pressure cooker. Pour in water, baking soda and salt. If you are using the optional ingredients, you can add them at this point.

Step 5: Place on high heat and leave until the pressure builds up and steam starts escaping from the top.

Step 6: Put the pressure cooker weight on and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes.

Step 7: When done, turn the heat off and leave to depressurize. Or lift the weight slightly to allow the steam to escape (I use a spoon as a lever so I don’t get burned). Once fully depressurized, remove the lid. If the chickpeas are not fully soft, pressure cook the peas again for another five minutes. Then, depressurize again and remove the lid.

Add flavors

Step 8: With the cover off, turn the heat back on to low.

Step 9: Stir in all the other ingredients like Caribbean green seasoning, chadon beni leaves, geera (cumin) powder, amchar masala powder, turmeric powder and pepper.

Step 10: Cook for 3 to 5 more minutes. Taste test and adjust your seasonings.

Step 11: Serve the doubles channa hot with your hot bara and chutneys. I did a bara recipe with ground urdi recently – it’s more traditional and the long time way to make bara so check that out below. Oh and enjoy your doubles channa with cucumber chutney, tamarind sauce, and more.

More recipes to make with channa

Curry channa and aloo: chickpeas and potatoes cooked in a Caribbean curry sauce.
Fried channa: chickpeas deep fried in hot oil before being mixed with salt and Caribbean herbs.

Doubles channa recipe

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