“Junkies snort curry powder instead of cocaine. One’s now in a korma, the other’s got a dodgy tikka”

The Indian foods of “korma” can sound like “coma” and “tikka” can sound like “ticker” (as in someone’s heart). “A man overdosed on curry powder and went into a korma” is a joke that has been cited in print since at least 1995.
   
“Two Scots in London were having dinner in an Indian restaurant when a car crashed through the window and mowed them down. Amazingly, they both survived, although one now has a dodgy tikka and the other’s in a korma” was printed in The Guardian (London, UK) on February 16, 2007. “2 Asian heroin addicts injected themselves with curry powder by mistake, both are in intensive care, one has a dodgy Tikka, the other is in a Korma” was posted on the newsgroup alt.tasteless.jokes on March 16, 2008. “joke: two junkies accidentally snort curry powder instead of cocaine. One’s now in a korma, the other’s got a dodgy tikka” was posted on Twitter by Mark Johnson on July 17, 2008.
   
 
Wikipedia: Korma
Korma (from Turkish kavurma), also spelled kormaa, qorma, khorma, kurma, or qovurma, is a dish originating in South Asia consisting of meat or vegetables braised in a spiced sauce made with yogurt, cream, nut or seed paste.
   
Wikipedia: Tikka (food)
Tikka (pronounced [ʈɪkkaː]) is a dish consisting of pieces of meat or vegetarian alternatives such as paneer with its origins tracing back to the Mughal dynasty. It is made by marinating the pieces in Spices and yoghurt and cooking them in a tandoor. There are many variations with the most popular being Chicken tikka masala which was created by Ali Atif Aslam in Glasgow. Tikka is popular in countries such as Great Britain and also throughout the Indian subcontinent.
         
The Guardian (London, UK)
There was a Rabbi, a Vicar and a Priest
Time and again they are the butt of other people’s humour. But now we give a blonde, a mother-in-law, and others who are regularly mocked, a chance to tell us a joke of their own.
Interviews by Craig Taylor
Fri 16 Feb 2007 19.04 EST
(...)
The Scotsman
(Eddie Tait)
Two Scots in London were having dinner in an Indian restaurant when a car crashed through the window and mowed them down. Amazingly, they both survived, although one now has a dodgy tikka and the other’s in a korma.
 
Google Groups: alt.tasteless.jokes
jimmybond
Mar 16, 2008, 4:10:45 PM
2 Asian heroin addicts injected themselves with curry powder by mistake,both are in intensive care,
one has a dodgy Tikka,
the other is in a Korma.
   
Google Groups: uk.rec.humour
T & K
phylkat
Mar 19, 2008, 1:02:33 PM
Two Asian heroin addicts injected themselves with curry powder by mistake, both are in intensive care,
one has a dodgy Tikka,
the other is in a Korma.
 
Twitter
Mark Johnson
@mwjtweet
joke: two junkies accidentally snort curry powder instead of cocaine. One’s now in a korma, the other’s got a dodgy tikka.
8:12 AM · Jul 17, 2008·Twitter Web Client
   
Google Books
Extremely Embarrassing Dad Jokes:
Because dads don’t know when to stop
By Ian Allen
New York, NY: Pavilion Books
2015
Pg. ?:
Two men who overdosed on curry powder for a dare are in hospital. Now one’s in a korma and the other’s got a dodgy tikka.
   
Reddit—Jokes
Posted by u/done-gone August 5, 2015
2 Indian guys accidentally snorted curry powder instead of cocaine…
Both were rushed to hospital. One’s in a korma, the other’s got a dodgy tikka.
     
Reddit—Jokes
Posted by u/timafee June 6, 2016
Did you hear about the guys who snorted curry powder instead of cocaine?
One of them now has a dodgy tikka and the other is in a korma.
COMMENTS
Surinical
Explanation please
Innomin8_AU
Tikka as in ticker, as in heart. Korma as in coma.
Tikka and Korma both being types of Indian curries.
   
Twitter
Lorraine Jo King
@lahlahbean
#sidesplittingsunday
Two men were rushed to the hospital because they overdosed on curry powder. One’s in a korma, and the other’s got a dodgy tikka.
4:10 AM · Dec 20, 2020·Twitter for iPhone