Here, customers can order their sweet treats at a charming open window counter that displays barfi, ladoo, coconut candy and more.
The star attraction here is barfi, a milk-based sweet with a fudge-like texture, immensely popular during festivals like Vaisakhi and Deepavali.
At the heart of Famous Serendah Barfi, now an over 50-year-old business, is Amrita Ahluwalia, its director and second-generation owner.
“The business was started by my in-laws, Mender Singh and Mahindar Kaur in 1972,” Ahluwalia told FMT Lifestyle.
Ahluwalia’s foray into the business began in 2016 after her husband passed away. Heartbroken, she also worried about how she would fund her children’s higher education as a single parent. At the time, they were 21 and 17 years old.
Originally from Delhi, India, Ahluwalia moved to Malaysia after getting married. Even after her husband’s passing, there was no question in her mind that she wanted to stay on.
“I was already a Malaysian citizen. My children were born and brought up here. This is home,” said the 55-year-old.
Then her parents-in-law, getting on in years, suggested she run the business. She agreed although, she said, she was riddled with self-doubt and worried endlessly about whether she could make a success of it.
“But I had to make sure that I fought all those feelings and learnt on the job,” she said. Thankfully, her mother-in-law was there to guide her in the early days. She passed away in 2018, followed a year later by her father-in-law.
Over the years, Ahluwalia poured her heart and soul into expanding the business, driven by her wish to keep this cherished family legacy alive.
While her parents-in-law sold four basic sweets – barfi, ladoo, coconut candy and pede – Ahluwalia has expanded the menu. “I wanted to create a one-stop centre with all kinds of Indian sweets and savoury treats,” she said.
Today, they offer different types of ladoo, gulab jamun, kulfi and savoury snacks like namakpare, mathia and pani puri. They also make barfi in the flavours of chocolate, pistachio, kaju (cashew nuts) and besan (chickpeas).
On weekends and public holidays, they serve hot samosa, jalebi and masala tea, which customers can enjoy in a cosy seating area.
The barfi, made with fresh instead of powdered milk, truly lives up to its reputation – rich, creamy and luscious.
Meanwhile, the sweet jalebi, crispy vegetarian samosas and tangy pani puri pair beautifully with a fragrant cup of masala tea. Simply sitting back, indulging in these treats and soaking in the unhurried pace of life in Serendah is a relaxing experience.
According to Ahluwalia, she has remained true to the barfi, ladoo, coconut candy and pede recipes she inherited from her parents-in-law.
While preserving tradition, she has, however, embraced modern technology by leveraging social media to expand her customer reach. Today, she added proudly, they even have a loyal customer base in Singapore.
Reflecting on her experience with the business, she shared with a smile: “Over the years, something that started off as a necessity has turned into a passion.”
Indeed, Ahluwalia has come a long way with Famous Serendah Barfi. “I take a lot of pride in the business as it’s a legacy and must be carried forward,” she said.
“My parents-in-law put in a lot of hard work to build it from nothing. It feels very good to be able to carry it on, and make it even better than it was before.”
Famous Serendah Barfi
No 1, Station Road
48200 Serendah
Business hours: 9am-7.30pm daily
Barfi gift boxes available for Vaisakhi. Follow Famous Serendah Barfi on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok or send a WhatsApp message to 010-213 5333 for enquiries.