Line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a non-stick or heavy-based saucepan, combine a piece of the cracked cardamom pod (discard the pod after), ground cardamom seeds, condensed milk, milk, butter, salt, and sugar.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts, and the sugar dissolves.
Bring the mixture to a steady boil, keeping a watchful eye and stirring constantly.
Let the mixture boil for about 5 minutes, or until it reaches 235°F on a candy thermometer. If you're using the soft ball method, drop a small dollop of the mixture into cold water. If it forms a soft, non-sticky ball, you're good to go! If it just melts into the water, keep cooking and test again every minute going forward.
Remove from the heat. Lightly crush the saffron threads between your fingertips and add them to the pan. Give it a good stir with a wooden spoon.
Now, carefully remove the cardamom pod from the pan. We want all the flavor, not the pod itself.
Let the fudge mixture cool slightly for about 4-5 minutes. Here comes the fun part! Grab your wooden spoon and start beating the mixture.
The beating process determines the texture of your fudge. If you prefer it creamy and soft, stop beating when it just barely starts to become stiff (like frosting). For a crumblier texture (like burfi), keep beating until it becomes slightly crumbly.
Once you've achieved your desired consistency, pour the fudge into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the fudge and gently press them in.
Let the fudge cool and set for about 1-1 1/2 hours. We know it's tempting to dig in right away, but patience is key!
Once set, score the fudge (lightly cut lines on the top) and then cut it into beautiful squares.
Store your fudge in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. But let's be honest, it probably won't last that long!
