Annam paravanam - Rice Pudding

1 cup Basmati Rice - any Raw Rice
1.5 cups grated Jaggery
2" Butter stick or Ghee
¼ tsp Elachi powder
4 cups Milk
1 cup half-half : Optional
Cashew nuts, Almonds and Raisins

In a small skillet add 2 tsp of ghee and fry cashew nuts, almonds and raisins till they are nicely roasted.

In a medium sauce pan wash and drain water. Add 2 cups water and cook on low/medium flame mixing well.

When the water and rice starts to boil add milk and cook until the rice becomes soft. Water or milk can be added as needed. Keep mixing so that it will not burn. Add elachi powder and butter stick (or ghee can be added according to taste). Half -half can be added just 2 minutes before removing from the flame, this gives a very rich taste to the dish. Add a pinch of pacha-karpuram (camphor) {Not the regular arati camphor, this is edible}, this gives any sweet dish, temple prasadam taste.

Remove from flame and after 2 minutes add grated jaggery and mix well. Do not cook after adding jaggery, this will break the milk. The heat in the mixture will make the jaggery melt and mix evenly.

Garnish with fried nuts, raisins and serve hot.