SINGAPORE - Madam Hajjah Marseah Bonoh, together with some of her children and grandchildren, cooked up a storm on Thursday night at her home at Fajar Road to prepare for the next day's festivities.
Every year on the eve of Hari Raya, the 84-year-old spends about 12 hours preparing her family favourites for Hari Raya, including sambal goreng, a spicy dish with tofu, long beans and prawns, and ketupat, a Malay traditional rice cake.
In October 2016, Madam Hajjah Marseah fell and fractured her hip. Despite that, she insists on cooking for her family every Hari Raya.
Madam Hajjah Marseah said: "Despite the long hours of cooking and preparation, I feel that it is worth it, because I am cooking for my family."
"I am worried for her due to her old age, but I understand that she wants to do her best to cook for the family. What we do nowadays is to come back and help her on Hari Raya eve," said Madam Hajjah Marseah's son, Mr Ismail Hashid, 53, director of rooms at a hotel.
Madam Hajjah Marseah's granddaughter, Qurratu'aini Choi, 14, a secondary school student, said: "Today, I learned how to make the ketupat. Hari Raya is an occasion where we can come together as a family. I think cooking together helps to bond us as a family. I look forward to learning to cook more dishes in the future."
