Ingredients
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves finely sliced
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
14- ounce can plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar or palm sugar
1 scotch bonnet pepper sliced
1 cup brown rice
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 large bunch of fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Add the onion, season, and sweat for several minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and let it infuse for several minutes before adding the ginger. Cook for about 10 minutes until the onion is completely soft.
Add the spices and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, stir, and gently simmer for 5 or so minutes until the tomatoes are soft enough to crush with the back of a spoon.
Add the sugar and scotch bonnet and season. Simmer for another 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced and the tomatoes are almost completely smooth.
Rinse the rice and add it to the pan. Fill the empty tomato can with water and also add to the pan along with the vegetable bouillon cube. Simmer for about 1 hour or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is completely cooked. Try not to stir it too much, but do ensure it isn’t sticking to the bottom—a fork works best. You may need to add a touch more water but as the dish should be reasonably dry, avoid adding too much. The rice will eventually absorb all the sauce.
Gently fork the cilantro through the rice, reserving some for sprinkling on top when serving.