Wash rice several times and soak it in enough water.

Pour milk to a rinsed heavy bottom pot.

Bring it to a boil on a medium flame. Rinsing prevents the milk solids from sticking at the bottom.

Add grated jaggery to a pan along with half cup water. Mix well and heat it.

Boil on a medium flame until slightly thick and sticky. It doesn't need a string consistency but has to be sticky.

Cool this completely before using it.

To the boiling milk, add drained rice and stir.

Cook the rice till it turns mushy and soft. Stirring once in every few minutes is needed. Mash few grains of cooked rice with a ladle to the side of the hot pot, the rice should get mashed well.

Adjust the consistency of the payasam by adding more milk. Let the rice and milk bubble up after adding milk if needed. Mash the rice if you desire.

Turn off the stove before adding jaggery.

Add cardamom powder. Filter the cooled jaggery syrup to the cooked rice. If using clean jaggery then you can add the gratings now. Stir well until dissolved.

Heat ghee in another small pan. Fry cashews till golden, then add raisins. Stir till they swell and pour this to the rice payasam.

Set aside the nuts and raisins for garnish if desired.

Serve rice payasam warm or cold.