KUNAFA BRINGS A UNIQUE TWIST TO DEEPAVALI DESSERTS

By Sarinah Mat Kasim

SEREMBAN, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- Inspired by trending flavours, P. Maheswary, a 49-year-old restaurant operator, has brought the popular Middle Eastern dessert kunafa to this year’s Negeri Sembilan Deepavali Carnival, adding a delightful new taste to the festival celebrations.

Her VM Kunafa brand has received an extraordinary response, making the dessert a favourite among visitors to the Deepavali Carnival at Jalan Dato Lee Fong Yee since the event began on Oct 22.

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Maheswary said she was pleasantly surprised to sell almost 100 different flavours of kunafa each night, priced at RM25 per piece.

“For Deepavali, we usually opt for traditional favourites like Ladu, Chittu Urundai, Jalebi, and Athirasam. But this year, I wanted to add a twist by offering kunafa, a dessert that’s gaining popularity now.

“I didn’t expect such an overwhelming response, with customers lining up daily for this popular Middle Eastern treat,” she told Bernama.

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The mother of four shared that she and her son, P. Ganabathiharasan, a former culinary student at a private college, took only two months to learn how to make kunafa through platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

Maheswary said she drew inspiration from popular TikTok influencer Ojennn_aiwahh to make kunafa.

With this guide in hand, she launched the VM Kunafa brand last September, garnering an unexpected wave of enthusiasm from dessert lovers.

“I am a huge fan of Ojen. Every time he goes live to make kunafa, I watch and learn, which has helped me improve my own skills.

“We have a diverse selection of flavours, including white chocolate, red velvet cheese, pistachio, and dark chocolate, all at RM25 each,” she said, adding that the Pistachio and Chocolate Kunafa are particularly popular among visitors.

Maheswary expressed her hope that VM Kunafa could be further expanded within the local community, particularly among those keen on exploring international flavours.

She stated that the positive response she received had given her the confidence to further develop her brand, thereby offering a wider variety of sweets each festive season.

“This year’s Deepavali opens up a chance for me to introduce my own kunafa brand, offering something different for the celebrations,” said Maheswary, who has been in the business for 15 years.

Meanwhile, S. Vanita, 35, shared that she was drawn to the viral kunafa sweets on social media, prompting her to choose kunafa as the dessert for her family during this festival.

“I have ordered kunafa for our Deepavali since the children love it; it offers something different. But we will certainly make sure to buy our traditional desserts as well,” said the mother of three, who will celebrate the Festival of Lights at her hometown in Rantau.

Lim Chang Hin, 32, said that she had previously only purchased kunafa online, but this time she was excited to taste the deliciousness of it fresh from the oven.

-- BERNAMA