Watching 22 players kick a ball across a FIFA-approved football pitch for 90 minutes or more can surely whip up an appetite.
Especially with the pride of 48 nations at stake, every joule of energy is needed to stay on top of all the goals, shootouts, and controversies expected of a World Cup tournament.
Between the 104 matches and the 12-hour time difference, staying awake through the many late-night watch parties requires a lot of zeal, commitment, and munchies.
To capitalise on the demand for watch party snacks, many local businesses have either extended their operations to offer overnight deliveries or put out football-related menu items.
At the House of Samosas, a family-run enterprise located at 470 Macpherson Road, you will find World Cup-themed samosas inspired by the various vibrantly-coloured jerseys.
Titled the Match Night Munchies Box, each set comes with 10 sweet or savory samosas.
To place an order, customers first have to select a flavour from an extensive list that includes unique varieties such as pasta, key lime pie, and durian. Next, pick a match. An example is the Spain versus Belgium showdown scheduled for July 11 at 3am (SGT).
Five samosas will then be adorned with colours of the Spanish flag, and the other five that of the Belgium flag. On the restaurant’s Instagram page, this concept is marketed with creative slogans like, “Support your team. Eat your rival”.
Permitted food dyes are used to achieve the bold visuals, which are hand-painted. Given that each samosa is made to order, the attention to detail is applaudable and will put anyone in the World Cup spirit.
Team tabla! sampled House of Samosas’ best sellers – the butter chicken and apple crumble samosas – with the national flags of France, England, Argentina and Portugal painted on.
Clearly, our prediction for the top four teams was debunked with Portugal’s sentimental exit in the round of 16. This outcome hardly mattered once we devoured all the samosas, which were generously filled.
The butter chicken sauce was delightfully smoky, creamy, and speckled with kasturi methi (dried fenugreek leaves). The chicken was cubed into sizeable pieces that ensured each mouthful comprised a good ratio of protein to pastry.
The cinnamon-forward spices brought out the natural sweetness of the apple chunks in the crumble mixture. For fans of McDonald’s signature apple pie, this flavour is a must-try.
For Ms Najeera Roseni, 32, business manager at House of Samosas, and her family, it is the traditional flavours that ultimately takes home the trophy.
“Our favourites are the curried chicken and the garden mix. My nieces like the grilled cheese and the creme brulee,” she said.
The family usually watches the World Cup matches together, and are “mandated” by their patriarch and House of Samosas’ owner, Mr Haja Nizamuddeen, 67, to support Brazil, which was knocked out on July 6, but remains the most decorated nation in the tournament’s history with a record five titles.
“All my siblings and my late father also supported Brazil, so I’m a lifelong fan,” he said.
