Toppa Top 10: Ten Trini Street Foods to Eat at Trinidad Carnival

February 4, 2016


1. Doubles
doubles

At most any public hub on the island you will notice scores of people lining up around a tiny stand, and requesting “doubles with slight.” One of the most popular street foods in the country —okay, the most popular — doubles is comprised of curried channa (aka chickpeas) on top of an extremely thin bake/roti hybrid known as barra. So popular is this delicacy that it’s even offered in the most expensive, all-inclusive Carnival parties, and mentioned in Trinidadian songs, such as Mark Hardy and Yung Rudd’s “Iz A Trini.” The best part of the experience is the condiments: savory mango and tamarind sauces, chadon beni, cucumber chutney or, if you’re real lucky, some roasted coconut chutney.

Tip: When ordering doubles, refer to the amount of pepper you want. Most times, the pepper is HOTTTT so careful what you request. Slight = a little, please. Heavy = slather it on. That, however, is not for the faint of heart…