Almost every region in the world has its own version of grits. 

Grits is the Southern USAian term for a hot, ground hominy (white maize that has been boiled in water made alkaline with lime, lye, ashes, or cooking soda) cereal.  In other places, it's made from untreated ground corn and called polenta, or white corn semolina.  There is also polenta made with yellow corn, wheat semolina a.k.a. "cream of wheat" or "solet", ground rice, and a sort of ground pasta that is just a step finer than cous-cous.

There are quick versions of maize semolina with directions on the package.  Until recently, most modern people thought it was okay to use quick cooking grains according to package directions, but now more people understand that grains, especially for porridge, need to be soaked and fermented before cooking.

This is especially important if the porridge will be fed to babies or children or the elderly.  The stomach of a young adult can often handle more raw grains, but everyone else really needs the organic acids, good bacteria, and softening effect that soaking/fermenting has on the gluten and other starches and sugars in grains.

So the old mothers' recipes all use soaking for some hours, or sometimes a full day, as part of the preparation process.  It really doesn't take more effort, just planning.

1. Put 1 cup of grits per person you'll be feeding, in a small pot.
2. Fill that pot with as much water as it will hold reasonably.
3. Cover it loosely with a cloth or with its lid ajar.
4. Set it in a relatively warm place like atop the refrigerator, overnight.
5. The next morning, pour off the excess water.  Leave about a centimeter or two at the top, depending on how soupy you like your grits.
6. Add about 25 g. butter or animal fat and a pinch of gray salt per person.
7. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent it burning at the bottom.
8. When it's boiling, turn the heat down to low, and let it cook for about 20 minutes.  Stir it about every 5 minutes during this time.
9. Remove from the heat, and serve as you like.

     Put the cooked grits into a well greased casserole dish, and spread garlic butter, or sprinkle cheese or brown sugar over them, and bake at 200 degrees, Celsius, until slightly browned on top.  Remove from the oven, and let the pie set for 5 minutes before serving.

Fried: 

     Pour the cooked grits into a greased or oiled, straight-sided container, and let cool throroughly.  Pop the grits out of the container, and cut into 1 cm. slices, and then fry in a skillet with butter, margerine, or oil.  Brown on both sides, and serve hot.

Served as a porridge: 

     Pour the grits into small bowls, and let set until cooled.  Then turn the cold grits out onto a plate, and serve with a sauce and meat to be eaten with the hands.  This way comes from Africa.

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