coarse white cornmeal
Coarsely ground white corn, paler and milder than yellow polenta.
White cornmeal or grits is easy to find in the American South and in Latin American, African and Eastern European shops, but less common elsewhere; online ordering is an option. Yellow polenta of the same grind works, though the dish turns yellow and tastes a little sweeter and more strongly of corn.
Substitute:
Coarse yellow polenta, not the instant kind; colour and flavour become stronger while the texture stays close. Fine corn flour, by contrast, makes the result smooth and pasty.