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1
Set a heavy pan over a medium flame and melt 2 tablespoons of ghee. Add the vermicelli and stir constantly, turning every strand through the fat, so the heat reaches each piece evenly and the starch seals rather than steaming in patches. Continue until the vermicelli is uniformly golden and carries a pronounced nutty aroma — this is where the dish lives or dies: under-roasted vermicelli yields a raw, starchy payasam; over-roasted vermicelli turns bitter.
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2
Pour in the coconut milk and dairy milk together, stirring immediately so the strands stay separate rather than fusing into clumps while the liquid is still cold. Bring to a gentle simmer over a low-medium flame, then cook, stirring frequently, until the vermicelli is completely tender and the liquid has thickened to a pourable consistency — a spoon drawn through the surface should leave a momentary channel before the payasam closes behind it.
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3
Add the grated jaggery and stir until fully dissolved, keeping the pan on a low flame so the payasam does not catch at the base now that it has sweetened and thickened. Add the ground cardamom and the saffron, then taste — the payasam should be distinctly sweet with a caramel-molasses depth that refined sugar does not replicate; adjust jaggery if required, then remove from the heat.
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4
In a small frying pan, melt the remaining tablespoon of ghee over a medium flame, then add the cashews and fry, stirring, until golden. Add the raisins and continue frying so they swell and plump in the hot ghee — they should be visibly rounded rather than shrivelled, which tells you they have absorbed enough fat to stay tender in the payasam rather than drying out again. Pour the garnish and all its ghee over the payasam.
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5
Serve warm or at room temperature. If the payasam tightens on standing, stir in a splash of warm milk to restore the consistency — cold milk can cause the surface to skin and cool the dish unevenly.