Malai Peda

1 litre low fat milk
A few saffron strands
teaspoon citric acid
2 level teaspoons corn flour
teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder
4 sachets sugar substitute
1-teaspoon pistachios, chopped (optional)
a few saffron strands

Keep 4 teaspoons of milk aside and boil the remaining milk in a heavy bottomed pan, keep on stirring throughout till it reduces to half.Warm the saffron in a small vessel, add 4 teaspoons of milk and rub until the saffron dissolves. Add to the boiling milk. Mix the citric acid in 3 teaspoons of water. Add this mixture very gradually to the boiling milk until it curdles slightly. This may require anything from half to the entire quantity of the citric acid mixture.Mix the corn flour in the balance 4 teaspoons of milk and add to the boiling mixture.Continue stirring till the mixture becomes thick and resembles khoya. Add the cardamom powder and mix well. Let it cool and then add sugar substitute and mix well.Shape into 7 small balls and garnish with saffron and pistachio.