Fish Curry and Doctor Who: A Perfect Combination

When Doctor Who made its comeback in the episode “The Star Beast,” it brought with it a wide range of strange and occasionally dangerous threats. However, one simple joke/threat stood out from the rest: a fish curry made by Donna’s mom.

Donna and her family are going through a tough time in “The Star Beast.” Having given away the lottery winnings that the Tenth Doctor had secretly given her, Donna is struggling to make ends meet with her husband and daughter. One area where Donna remains enriched is with the help of her mother Sylvia, who has taken it upon herself to prepare meals for her daughter’s family. While we hear stories of a massive sausage roll, it’s Sylvia’s tuna Madras curry that has captured the attention of Doctor Who fans in the past week. It’s her perfectly-timed explanation of what’s on the menu that adds to the comedic element in the show.

The funny part isn’t just the delivery by Jacqueline King, playing Sylvia; it’s also the collision of two worlds in Doctor Who. The bizarre, yet mundane, aspect of human life clashes with the strange and alien universe of time and space exploration. The idea of a tuna curry may be bizarrely gross to many people, but Doctor Who fans have become obsessed with it. This is the same fandom that willingly tried Fish Fingers and Custard after the Eleventh Doctor snacked on it in his debut episode, so a canned tuna curry is almost like fine dining compared to that. Although the tuna Madras curry got left behind in the alien chaos of “The Star Beast,” the BBC has since released an official recipe for fans to make at home.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• Half teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of hot chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of ginger
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tins of tuna, drained
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• Half a jar of black olives

Method:

1. Fry the onion for five minutes until it turns golden brown.
2. Add the garlic and stir for two minutes.
3. Mix in the spices and stir quickly before adding the tuna from two tins. Stir twice.
4. Add the tin of tomatoes and the black olives. Bring to a boil until the sauce thickens.
5. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for ten minutes.
6. Serve.

Although the tuna Madras curry may not be well-known, it is apparently a staple in the family of writer/showrunner Russell T. Davies, as revealed in the commentary track for “The Star Beast.” So, whether you want to indulge in the fuel that inspired one of the greatest minds in British television, or you simply need something to savor while watching Doctor Who, perhaps you’re brave enough to give this recipe a try and see what the Nobles missed out on.

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Source: Doctor Who Has Released an Official Recipe for Its Horrifying Curry