Doubles was one of the dishes I missed most when I moved to Korea from Toronto, until I learned how to make them. Doubles, a Trinidadian dish with East Indian roots, are made with two pieces of bara (fried dough) and a few heaping spoonfuls of channa (chick pea) curry.  I got the recipe from the chef at Island Foods, one of my favorite West Indian restaurants in Toronto. My version has a few new twists but the result is pretty nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Doubles are a great vehicle for Grace Hot Pepper Sauce featured in this week’s Spotted! and a great example of how to make great food that also just happens to not have any animal-products (without resorting to soy-based meat replicas.) Chickpeas can be found canned in some supermarkets and import shops and dried in Indian and Pakistani grocers where you can also find cumin.  

Bara
2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 teaspoon yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 cup oil for frying

Channa Curry
2 cups of chickpeas, canned or soaked over night and boiled until tender.
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon oil
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground allspice (if you have it)
1 tsp Pepper sauce
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

In a small bowl place the warm water, sugar and yeast and set to sponge for 5 minutes. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, curry powder and cumin. Add the yeast mixture and enough water to make a slightly firm dough. Knead until the dough is no longer sticky, adding flour if necessary. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow to rise for an hour.

For the filling, heat the oil in a heavy skillet, saute the onions until they are translucent, and then add the garlic and spices. Saute for another minute or so and then add the water. Add the chickpeas and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add pepper sauce and season to taste.

The dough should be punched down and allowed to sit for 10 minutes. To shape the bara, take 1 tablespoon of the dough and flatten to a round, 4 or 5 inches in diameter.
Wet your hands so that the dough won’t stick to them but not so much as to make the dough too wet to fry.

Fry the baras in hot oil until puffy (about 15 seconds per side), turning once and drain on kitchen paper. When all are cooked, fill with channa by placing a heaping tablespoon of the cooked filling on each bara and top with cucumbers and hot pepper sauce.

2009 Ulsan World Music Festival

The Ulsan Culture Arts Centre & Munhwa Park will be host to the Ulsan World Music Festival Oct. 9th to 11th with musical acts from Portugal, Pakistan, Argentina, Israel, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Paraguay and, of course, Korea. Mariza, a fado singer from Portugal, is one of the most anticipated acts along with Oscar winning electro-rockers Bajofondo, from Argentina and Uruguay. The festival will also be the Pakistani vocalist Faiz Ali Faiz’s first performance in Korea.  As of today there are no plans to cancel the festival despite pressure from the central government to cancel festival amidst fears of spreading the H1N1 virus.

Seoul has one of the lowest birthrates in the world and it seems the cause is a lack of interest in giving up a social life and the cost involved, but the mayor’s office has plans to fix it. The problem could be that men have been scared off of popping the question too soon given Korea’s controversial sex law that dictates fines of up to 4 mil. won for seducers promising to tie the knot. All that extra money saved by avoiding those fines and not putting junior through a hogwan will leave lots of money left over for a ticket in Korea Airline’s new luxury first class.  All those would-be moms and dads without kids to watch might also be excited to learn that The Prodigy, in town for the Global Gathering, have promised to “drive the crowd crazy.” Another option for blowing cash and taking off for the weekend is the Pusan Film Festival who just released this years line up. Of course, if you are hoping to have kids you might want to watch how you spend your hard earned won by eating out less often.

What: Grace Scotch Bonnet and Habanero Hot Sauce

Where: JPStar This online grocery store sells lots of imports from Japan and around the world.

How Much: w2990

Why: Grace Kennedy Foods is the biggest name in Caribbean food products for a reason. They make wicked tings fe nice up ya rice and peas. Why buy imported hot peppers in the mecca of hot peppers? Habanero and Scotch Bonnet have a  flavour distinct from the peppers you get here. They are a little hotter and have a bright fruity flavour that, along with allspice, is the key to authentic island dishes. Check out the Recipe of the Week this Wednesday for a great Caribbean dish that you can use it in.

While the more urban side of Cheonggyecheon is well-positioned in the heart of downtown Seoul, the stream continues for kilometers more outside of the urban jungle. Even though the overhead roads remind you that you’re still in the city, it’s still a unexpected pleasure. How many major metropolitan cities can boast a stream and a quiet place to reflect in just minutes from a subway station?

Start by taking in the clear, mostly still water. Once you’re safely away from the commuters on the roads overhead, you’ll have a little less on your mind. Also consider taking some self-portraits from one of several docks that dot the stream.

Found in virtually every park in Korea, flowers and workout facilities are all around.

Some public art is also nearby.

Just like the more urban setting of Cheonggyecheon, rock bridges offer a way to cross the stream. Be aware that the rocks are set only so high from the top of the stream – if the stream is riding high those rocks might be underwater!

© Chris Backe – 2009