Ingredients:
Yield: 7½ cups rice
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 5 ounces each)
½ medium Scotch bonnet pepper (or use a habanero pepper), stem removed
½ medium onion, roughly chopped
3 small red bell peppers, roughly chopped (about 5 ounces each)
½ cup vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
1½ teaspoons hot ground chile pepper, such as African dried chile or cayenne
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 heaping teaspoon onion powder
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2½ cups medium-grain rice
““It’s my favorite thing to make while overseas to feel like I’m at home.””
Instructions:
Step 1:
In a blender, combine tomatoes, pepper and onions; purée. Pour out half the purée into a bowl; set aside. Add the bell peppers to the purée remaining in the blender and pulse until smooth. Add to the mixture that was set aside and stir to combine.
Step 2:
Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add blended vegetables along with the salt, curry powder, ground chile pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaves, ginger and thyme. Bring mixture to a boil.
Step 3:
Stir in the rice until well mixed, then reduce the heat to low.
Step 4:
Cover pot and let cook until rice is al dente, about 45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes; if rice is sauce-logged, remove the lid to cook off the excess sauce. If rice seems dry, stir in 1 to 2 cups of water. Allow the rice at the bottom of the pot to char a bit to infuse it with a smoky flavor.
