Chef John's Jollof Rice

Step 1
Combine tomato, red bell pepper, habanero pepper, fresno chili, garlic, ginger, and water in a blender for the sauce. Blend on high until smooth and set aside.

Step 2
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and salt and saut? until onion starts to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Clear space in the middle of the pan, add tomato paste, and saut? for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with paprika, curry powder, cumin, thyme, pepper, and turmeric; continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until everything is well combined.

Step 3
Turn off the heat, and stir in the rice, making sure every grain of rice is coated with the oil-tomato mixture. Add bay leaf and chicken bouillon paste.

Step 4
Turn heat to high, stir in tomato sauce, 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 or stir rice.

Step 5
Turn off heat after 20 minutes, and set the timer for 12 minutes. Allow rice to sit and do not remove the lid.

Step 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.