KARACHI: Cooking expert Zubaida Aapa, a household name across the country, passed away late on Thursday night, a family member said.

She is survived by a son and a daughter.

Funeral prayers for her would be offered at Sultan Masjid in Defence Housing Authority after Friday prayers, her brother and writer Anwar Maqsood was quoted by TV channels as saying. Zubaida Aapa, he said, had been unwell for some time.

Aapa was famous for her handy culinary and housekeeping hints or totkas. She did numerous culinary shows on various TV channels and wrote cookbooks.

On her official Twitter account TotkaAapaZubaida (@ZubaidaAapa), she wrote: “Ask me quick solutions to your domestic, social, political etc problems. Happy to help men and women alike.”

Born on April 4, 1945, in Hyderabad, India, Aapa came from a well-known family of literary personalities. Her siblings include Fatima Surayya Bajia, Zehra Nigah and Ahmed Maqsood.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2018