Preheat oven, and get a blender and Dutch oven ready.
Rough cut vegetables into pieces small enough to fit in the blender.
Blend tomatoes, peppers (deseed if you prefer), onions and bell peppers (remove seeds from bell peppers).
Add vegetable puree into a large Dutch oven with lid. Place over medium high heat and start to simmer.
Heat vegetable oil in a large high-sided pan. Dice half an onion and sautee with iru in pan until onion is translucent and tender. Add bay leaves and mix in.
Add onion mix into vegetable puree and mix. Add seasonings and lower to medium heat, continuing to stir.
Add rice, stir into the puree. Adjust the amount of rice to match the amount of liquid. Rice should 'fill' the liquid (submerged when sitting, but visible when stirred).
Seal pot with aluminum foil and lid cook over medium until al dente, about 25 mins.
Optional: Once rice is cooked, with the pot still covered, turn up heat to high for about ten mins. This will char the bottom of the pot, infusing a smoky flavor.
