Method:

1. Soak jaggery in warm water(till immersing level) , crush it well. Then heat it up until it is slightly thick (no string consistency needs to be checked).Strain and keep aside.
   
2. Rinse rice well and soak in water for atleast 30mins,Set aside.In a mixer grind rice and coconut together with little water to a coarse paste.
   
3. Boil water, keep in low flame and add the coconut rice paste and let it cook in medium flame for 10mins.
   
4. Once the rice gets cooked soft and the mixture is in porridge consistency add jaggery syrup.
   
5. Stir well and cook for 3mins,add cardamom powder and stir well.meanwhile in a tadka pan with ghee fry cashews and raisins.First add cashews once it starts to brown add raisins, let it bubble up then switch off.
   
6. Switch and let the payasam cool down for 10mins.Then add milk and stir well.Add ghee fried cashews and raisins, give a quick stir.
   

My Notes:

• Use milk at room temperature.Boil milk and cool down.While adding milk make sure the payasam is not too hot else it will curdle.
• Don not grind the rice coconut mixture to a fine paste, it should be coarse only then you will get texture in your payasam.
• Milk can be skipped but I recommend adding it as it gives a richness and flavour to the payasam.