📖 Instructions

1. First things first, rinse your rice. I know, it seems like a small detail, but rinsing your rice helps remove excess starch, leading to fluffier rice. Give it a good rinse under cold water until the water runs clear.
2. Next, finely chop your onion, bell peppers, and tomatoes. I like to use a sharp knife for this and chop my peppers into smallish cubes. A friend once told me he uses a food processor; that's an option too, but personally, I find the knife method more satisfying and I like to control the size of my ingredients!
3. Heat up your pot! Add the vegetable oil, then add the chopped onions and peppers. Cook until it's soften and nice and aromatic –about 5-7 minutes. If it gets a little too dry, add a few tablespoons of water to prevent it from burning.
4. Now, it's tomato time! Throw in your chopped tomatoes and stir it all up. I prefer using fresh tomatoes because you can really taste the freshness, but canned tomatoes works just as well! Cook until it's nice and soft, about 5-7 minutes.
5. Add the spices! This is where the magic happens! Toss in your tomato paste, chili flakes (or scotch bonnet peppers if you’re feeling adventurous!), curry powder, thyme, and salt. Give it a really good stir, making sure all the tomatoes are coated with these yummy spices.
6. Time to add the rice! Stir in your rinsed rice and let it cook for a minute or two, making sure all the grains are coated in the sauce. I love the smell of the spices at this point—it fills my kitchen with this warm feeling!
7. Pour in the stock! Now add the vegetable stock (or water—but stock tastes better, trust me!), ensuring the liquid is almost double the volume of your rice. For example, if you have 2 cups of rice, use about 3.5-4 cups of stock. Bring it to a boil.
8. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Don’t peek too often! This is where patience is key!
9. Fluff it up! Once it’s done, remove it from the heat and let it sit, covered, for about 5 minutes. Then, fluff it with a fork to loosen the grains and let any trapped steam escape.
10. Garnish and serve! Stir in the chopped basil leaves, a beautiful burst of fresh flavor and color. Serve it hot, maybe with a side of grilled chicken or fish, or even just by itself. Because it is that good. Enjoy!