Wash the rice and drain it.
Place this in the saucepan with the water and bring it to a boil.
Stir the rice around and as the liquid evaporates add the milk slowly to keep cooking.
Add the bay leaf and the crushed cardamom pods at this stage
Add more of the milk and stir it around till the rice is cooked on a slow simmer with constant stirring.
The milk acquires a deep purple colour and turns aromatic.
Once the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat and add the jaggery.
Stir well, the kheer at this stage will have a flowing consistency.
Remove the bay leaves and serve warm.