Coconut Milk Simmered Channa Doubles
A creamy variation using coconut milk in the chickpea gravy, common in coastal Caribbean cooking.

Total
1h 25m
Prep
30 min
Cook
55 min
Serves
5
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Recipe serves 5
Ingredients
- 2 cups Dried chickpeas (soaked overnight)
- 1 can Full-fat coconut milk
- 1.5 teaspoons Turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons Curry powder
- 4 pieces Garlic cloves, minced
- 0.25 cup Shado beni (or cilantro), chopped
- 2 cups All-purpose flour (for the bara dough)
- 1 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin (geera)
- 0.5 piece Scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded(optional)
- 2 cups Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon Brown sugar
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the bara dough by mixing flour, yeast, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and sugar with warm water; knead into a soft dough and let rise for 2 hours.
- 2
Boil the soaked chickpeas in salted water with 1 tsp turmeric until tender but not mushy, then drain and set aside.
- 3
In a heavy pot, sauté minced garlic and curry powder in a little oil until fragrant, being careful not to burn the spices.
- 4
Add the cooked chickpeas to the pot along with the coconut milk, scotch bonnet, and cumin; stir well to combine.
- 5
Simmer the chickpea mixture on medium-low heat for 20 minutes until the coconut milk reduces into a thick, creamy gravy.
- 6
While the channa simmers, divide the dough into small balls, flatten them into thin discs, and flash-fry in hot oil for 5 seconds per side.
- 7
Stir the fresh shado beni into the channa and mash a few chickpeas against the side of the pot to further thicken the sauce.
- 8
Serve by placing two bara breads on a plate and ladling a generous portion of the creamy coconut channa over the top.
Goes well with this
Caribbean dishes that round out the meal.

Traditional Jamaican Rice and Peas
The classic Sunday staple using dried kidney beans, coconut milk, and aromatic scotch bonnet.

Coconut Jollof Rice Fusion
A creamy twist using coconut milk and Caribbean-inspired thyme for a tropical flavor profile.

Jamaican Jerk Beans and Rice
Toss beans in jerk seasoning and simmer until thick, then serve over rice with a hint of sweetness.
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