The first thing came to my mind when Hari Raya Aidilfitri getting closer is the "ketupat" (rice cake in woven coconut leaves).
I remember eating the "ketupat" with "beef rendang" (slow-cooked beef in spices) and curry when my Malay friends invite me for the open house.
But, Hari Raya doesn’t mean ketupat only. It’s a day for Muslims all over the world to celebrate the victory over a month-long fasting.
It’s also a day when they find new meaning of life, seeking forgiveness and be cleansed of past sins.
The Muslims will recite the "takbir" (a special prayer for this occasion) in mosque and homes on the eve of the Aidilfitri as well as the next morning when the men gather again in the mosque.
You’ll witness a tender moment when a wife kisses the hand of her husband and the husband kissing her forehead in turn seeking forgiveness from each other.
Children are also seeking forgiveness from their parents and grandparents in the same way.
During Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Singapore, you’ll see almost all Muslim people from adults to children change their modern clothes to "baju kurung - a traditional Malay outfit.
Very often I saw Malay families in my neighborhood going out in the first day of Hari Raya dressed in "baju kurung" in the same color and fabric.
I can see the harmony, cheerful mood, and the value they believe in.
These "baju kurung" are always tailor-made in the past.
However, you can find a ready-made one at shops and boutiques located at Joo Chiat, Kampong Glam, Arab Street, Geylang Serai Market or at any shopping malls in Singapore.
Priced from approximately S$ 24.00 to S$600.00/ set you can expect to have them made in any type of fabrics and accessories.
Another thing I like about Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Singapore is the cookies and "kueh-kueh". So many varities sold in supermarket and cake shops!
This time I can also buy my favorite cookies such as pineaple tart and "love letters" crispy roll (or "kuih kapit" in Malays) which normally sold during Chinese New Year.
Here I found
a simple Aidilfitri cookies recipe
for you to try. It takes about an hour to prepare approximately 50 - 80 pieces of chocolate cookies.
Well, what will be remembered by the kid when they grow up? The home-made cookies prepared by our mother, right?
