Here's a rice that'll light a fire on your tongue.
1/3 cup oil (vegetable/canola/coconut, not olive oil)
6 medium-sized fresh or canned plum/Roma tomatoes, chopped
6 fresh, red poblano peppers, seeds discarded
3 medium-sized red onions (1 sliced thinly, 2 roughly chopped), divided
1/2 to 1 hot pepper, or to taste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons (Caribbean/Jamaican-style) curry powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 dried bay leaves
5 to 6 cups stock (vegetable, chicken, or beef) or water
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
4 cups uncooked converted long-grain rice or golden Sella basmati, rinsed
Salt, to taste
Black and white pepper, to taste
Sliced onions and tomatoes
In a blender, combine chopped tomatoes, red poblano (or bell) peppers, chopped onions, and Scotch bonnets with 2 cups of stock, blend till smooth, about a minute or two. You should have roughly 6 cups of blended mix. Pour into a large pot/ pan and bring to the boil then turn down and let simmer, covered for 10 - 12 minutes.
In a large pan, heat oil and add the sliced onions. Season with a pinch of salt, stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the bay leaves, curry powder and dried thyme and a pinch of black pepper for 3 - 4 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomato paste - stir for another 2 minutes. Add the reduced tomato-pepper-Scotch bonnet mixture, stir, and set on medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes till reduced by half, with the lid on.
Add 4 cups of the stock to the cooked tomato sauce and bring it to boil for 1 - 2 minutes. Add the rinsed rice and butter, stir, cover with a double piece of foil/baking or parchment paper and put a lid on the pan. Turn down the heat and cook on low for 30 minutes. Stir rice, taste and adjust as required.
Add sliced onions, fresh tomatoes and the 2nd teaspoon of butter and stir through.
When the rice is cooked, turn up the heat with the lid on and leave to "burn" for 3 to 5 minutes. You'll hear the rice crackle and snap and it will smell toasted. Turn off the heat and leave with the lid on to "rest" till ready to serve. The longer the lid stays on, the smokier.
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