Nepali Polenta with Himalayan Grilled Tomato Sauce

In Nepal, corn grows in the hills at low and middle elevations. We’ve had it grilled on the cob in mountain villages, and simmered in soup, but it’s also eaten as a grain, coarsely ground and then cooked slowly in a heavy pot, like grits or polenta. The dish is known as dero. We like to add a little oil and flavor to the dero by tempering it with ghee and mustard seed, as described here.

The classic accompaniment for the polenta is a simple grilled tomato achar.