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Open House
During themonth-long
celebrations, open-houses are
also heldwhenMuslims entertain
their friends in their homes.
It is usually cut into small cubes and
eaten with peanut sauce. The dishes vary
according to states. In Johor for instance,
it is the
lontong
which is a soup mixed
with vegetables and
tempeh
.
Aidilfitri would not be complete with-
out the special cakes and cookies in glass
jars laid on the table. Commonly referred
to as
kuih raya
, these sweet treats are
served to the guests and are usually
ordered way ahead of the celebration.
Although a lot of people now prefer
modern cookies, traditional
kuih raya
like
bahulu, kuih bangkit
and
sarang semut
are the ones to look out for.
The less fortunate
The celebration is not just about in-
dulgence and cheerful laughter. Islam
encourages Muslims to be prudent in
spending their money whilst preparing
for Hari Raya. The religion frowns upon
extravagance or anyone who goes over-
board for Aidilfitri. For this reason, during
Ramadan, a religious tax called
zakat
is collected for the benefit of all the
less-fortunate. Also during Aidilfitri,
a certain amount of money is placed
inside small colourful packets and
kept aside to be given away as
duit
raya
, to children and those who are
in need.
to be forgiven for their past bad deeds
with the greeting,
maaf zahir batin
. This
is also an opportunity for one to begin a
clean slate by letting go of old grudges
and animosity.
The Food
All dressed up and ready to go, the
entire family will make their way to visit
relatives and friends whom they might
not have seen for a while. With a lot of
catching up to do, the atmosphere during
Aidilfitri is filled with happiness, love and
of course, a lot of food.
The traditional dishes to be eaten
during Aidilfitri are usually prepared a
day prior to the celebration. ‘Lemang,’
glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk
in bamboo, is the must-have dish to
be eaten together with chicken or beef
rendang
. ‘Ketupat’ is another signature
dish, so popular that it is another must for
the celebration. The
ketupat
is also rice,
but this is cooked in woven palm leaves.
Gift of money
Ketupat and Lemang
Kuih Bahulu