Updated from this website recipe from Chef John:

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 large, ripe tomato, quartered
• 1 large red capsicum, de-seeded and roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder, or 1 whole fresno chili, or one jalapeño, stem removed
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 Tablespoon minced / dried ginger
• 2 cups water

Rice:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup (60ml) tomato paste
• 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or sage
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 1/4 cups basmati rice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 vegetarian stock cube
• 1/4 cup chopped spring onion for garnish (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine tomato, capsicum, peppers, garlic, ginger, and water in a blender for the sauce. Blend on high until smooth and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and salt and sauté until onion starts to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Clear space in the middle of the pan, add tomato paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Season with paprika, curry powder, cumin, thyme, pepper, and turmeric; continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until everything is well combined.
3. Turn off the heat, and stir in the rice, making sure every grain of rice is coated with the oil-tomato mixture. Add the bay leaf and stock cube.
4. Turn heat to high, stir in tomato sauce mix, and bring to a vigorous simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not remove the lid nor stir the rice.
5. Turn off heat after 20 minutes, and set a timer for 12 minutes. Leave it all where it is, allow the rice to sit and do not remove the lid.
6. After the 12 minutes are up, remove lid, and fluff rice with a fork, separating all the grains. Serve garnished with green onions and chopped cilantro.

Cook’s Note:

If rice seems to be a little undercooked at this point, stop fluffing. Pat the rice down gently with the back of the fork, cover tightly again, and set heat to medium low. Cook for another 5 minutes, and check again.