Hominy

Hominy is dried maize kernels that have been treated with an alkaline solution, usually limewater or lye, in a process called nixtamalization that loosens and removes the tough outer hull and softens the kernel, causing it to swell. The process, developed by Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica, also makes the corn's niacin nutritionally available, a key reason maize-based diets that use nixtamalization avoid the deficiency disease pellagra. Whole hominy kernels are simmered into dishes such as Mexican pozole and Southern United States hominy dishes, while coarsely ground hominy becomes grits, a staple breakfast dish especially associated with the American South.