Heat oil in a pot to make the tikka masala sauce.
Once the oil is hot, add in the cumin seeds and ginger, and let them fry for a few seconds (very very few seconds, you don’t want the ginger to burn!).
Add in the garlic, onion, and bay leaf and sauté.
Add in garam masala powder, red chili powder, and a sprinkle of salt and continue to sauté until the onions are translucent.
Once the onions are cooked, add in the tomatoes and continuously stir for 10 minutes.
Add in salt for the tomatoes once most of the juice from the tomatoes has evaporated and continue to stir for a few more minutes. Once they are thoroughly cooked, set the tikka masala sauce aside to cool. Make sure to remove the bay leaf!
Add the roasted red bell pepper and the cooled tikka masala into a blender and pulse until smooth.
Serve over cooked veggies, protein, or grains!