Payasam is a Tamil word. It is called Kheer in Hindi. The equivalent word in english may be rice pudding. It is a sweet dish which is usually prepared on many occasions like festivals, birthdays, marriage anniversaries etc. Even if some guest visits our house for the first time, then also it is made.

Let's see the different varieties of payasam here.
1. Jowar seeds payasam
In tamil, Jowar seeds are called 'Javvarasi'

Ingredients:
Ghee - 6 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Jowar seeds - Handful
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Cashewnut seeds - 7 to 8
Cardamom powder - little
Method:
1. Heat four tsps of ghee in a pan and put jowar seeds in it.
2. Fry jowar seeds till it becomes reddish brown.
3. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to it .
4. Stir it constantly so that jowar seeds mixes well with water and not sticks to the pan.
5. When jowar seeds is fully dissolved in water,add sugar to it and mix it well.
6. When sugar is dissolved, add milk to it.
7. While milk is boiling, take a small pan and pour 2 tsps of ghee in it and fry the cashewnut seeds.
8. Put the fried cashewnut seeds and cardamom powder to the payasam and mix it well.
9. Serve it hot.

2. Moong dhal payasam

Ingredients:
Moong dhal - 3/4 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Cashewnut seeds - 7 to 8
Cardamom powder - little
Ghee - 6 tsp
Method:
1. Fry moong dhal till it becomes slightly red.
2. Wash the dhal 4 or 5 times using water.
3. Boil 2 cups of water in a vessel.
4. Add the moong dhal to it.
5. When the moong dhal has become soft and dissolved in water, add jaggery to it.
6. When the jaggery is fully dissolved, add milk to it.
7. While milk is boiling, take a small pan and pour 2 tsps of ghee in it and fry the cashewnut seeds.
8. Put the fried cashewnut seeds and cardamom powder to the payasam and mix it well.
9. Serve it hot.

3. Rava payasam

Ingredients:
Rava - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Cashewnut seeds - 7 to 8
Cardamom powder - little
Ghee - 6 tsp
Method:
1. Heat four tsps of ghee in a pan and put rava in it.
2. Fry rava till it becomes reddish brown.
3. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to it.
4. Stir it constantly so that rava mixes well with water and not sticks to the pan.
5. When rava is cooked well,add sugar to it and mix it well.
6. When sugar is dissolved, add milk to it.
7. While milk is boiling, take a small pan and pour 2 tsps of ghee in it and fry the cashewnut seeds.
8. Put the fried cashewnut seeds and cardamom powder to the payasam and mix it well.
9. Serve it hot.

4. Almond / Badam Payasam

Ingredients:
Almond - 100gms
Sugar - 1  cup
Milk - 2 1/2 cups
Cashewnut seeds - 7 to 8
Cardamom powder - little
Ghee - 6 tsp
Pista nuts - 4 to 5
Method:
1. Soak almond in lukewarm water for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour, peel the skin of it and grind it to a nice paste.
3. Boil 3 cups of water in a vessel.
4. Add the grinded almond paste to it and stir it well.
5. After the almond is mixed with water fully, add sugar to it.
6. When sugar is dissolved, add milk to it.
7. While milk is boiling, take a small pan and pour 2 tsps of ghee in it and fry the cashewnut seeds and pista nuts.
8. Put the fried cashewnut seeds,pista nuts and cardamom powder to the payasam and mix it well.
9. Serve it hot.

Note : If you wish to drink this cool, keep in refrigerator for sometime.

5. Rice Flakes Payasam

In Tamil it is called 'Aval'.

Ingredients:
Rice flakes - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Milk - 1 1/2 cups
Cashewnut seeds - 7 to 8
Cardamom powder - little
Ghee - 6 tsp
Method:
1. Heat four tsps of ghee in a pan and put rice flakes in it.
2. Fry rice flakes till it becomes reddish brown.
3. Add 2 cups of water to it.
4. Stir it constantly so that rice flakes mixes well with water and not sticks to the pan.
5. When rice flakes is dissolved in water,add sugar to it and mix it well.
6. When sugar is dissolved, add milk to it.
7. While milk is boiling, take a small pan and pour 2 tsps of ghee in it and fry the cashewnut seeds.
8. Put the fried cashewnut seeds and cardamom powder to the payasam and mix it well.
9. Serve it hot.

6. Vermicelli/Semiya Payasam

Ingredients:
Vermicelli - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Milk - 2 cups
Cashewnut seeds - 7 to 8
Cardamom powder - little
Ghee - 6 tsp
Method:
1. Heat four tsps of ghee in a pan and put vermicelli  in it.
2. Fry vermicelli  till it becomes reddish brown.
3. Add 2 cups of water to it .
4. Stir it constantly so that vermicelli mixes well with water and not sticks to the pan.
5. When vermicelli  becomes soft and cooked,add sugar to it and mix it well.
6. When sugar is dissolved, add milk to it.
7. While milk is boiling, take a small pan and pour 2 tsps of ghee in it and fry the cashewnut seeds.
8. Put the fried cashewnut seeds and cardamom powder to the payasam and mix it well.
9. Serve it hot.

Note: You can also add dry grapes to the payasam if you like.