Barley payasam ~ Jau ki kheer ~ Indian Milk pudding with barley

Ingredients and Method to make Barley Payasam  (adapted from a tv program)
1/4 cup pearl barley (jau/ vargodumai)

2 and 1/2 cups whole milk (doodh/ paal)

1/4 cup sugar (shakkar/ sakkarai)

1/4 tsp green cardamom seed powder (choti elaichi/ ellakai)

1 Tbsp clarified butter (ghee/ nei)

Garnish

5 almonds cut fine (badam)

1 Tbsp broken cashew (kaju)

Soak barley in sufficient water overnight. Drain and fill with fresh water and pressure cook until soft. About 3 whistles in the pressure cooker is sufficient to cook the barley.

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan, add cashews and almonds and stir until golden brown. 

Add cooked barley and stir a couple of times. Break off lumps if any. 

Add milk and sugar and simmer for a few minutes until milk thickens to desired consistency. Do keep in mind, the kheer thickens further when cool. Add cardamom powder and mix well. Simmer another minute or two. 

Remove from heat, serve hot, at room temperature or chilled.
 
Serves approx 2 to 3

Notes:
With this quantity of sugar, the kheer turns out mildly sweet, if you want a more pronounced sweetness, you can increase the quantity of sugar to 1/2 cup or to taste.