In a large pot, add your homemade tomato purée and bay leaves. Put onto a medium heat and once simmering, cover lid and cook gently on low heat for 50 minutes. You don't want the liquid to evaporate but if it does, add a little water to thin it out again.

In another pot, put the rice onto boil with water. Then cover with a lid, reduce down the heat and then cook until water evaporates and rice is fully cooked (or use a rice cooker if you have one!).

After 50 minutes, remove the bay leaves and season the soup with salt, pepper and one tablespoon of sugar to begin with. Mix through and taste.  The sugar balances out the acidity of the tomatoes which is why you start with only 1 tablespoon to begin with. Add a little more sugar and taste again. You'll know when it tastes right. The added salt in the soup cuts down the sweetness of the sugar.  All three - tomatoes, sugar, salt - work harmoniously together.

Mix into the soup the cooked rice and serve with fresh hot bread.