1-First, blend the base ingredients until smooth: that includes the red bell pepper, vine tomatoes, red onion, scotch bonnet chillies, garlic, ginger, and water.

2-Next: heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the finely chopped red onion, and cook for 3 minutes until it softens.

3-Then: stir in the tomato purée and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until it darkens. Pour in the blended base mixture, stir well, and simmer on medium-low heat, partially covered, for 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce reduces and oil separates.

4-After that: add the curry powder, dried thyme, chicken stock cubes, bay leaves, and 600ml water, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Rinse the basmati rice under cold water thoroughly to remove starch, drain it, and add to the pot, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 25 minutes. Finally, remove the bay leaves, stir the rice, and serve; if it’s too wet, cook uncovered briefly, or add a bit of water if needed and steam until done.