Why is my bland? Help please.

[bagpiss]

I've made a potato and pea coconut curry, never tried this recipe before but it's so bland, can I do anything to rescue or help it?
I have a good selection of Indian spices etc. The recipe had in it:

1kg/2lb 4oz potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tsp ground turmeric for potatoes.
Sauce:
ghee
1 large bay leaves
¼ tsp asafoetida
1 medium onion, very finely chopped
3tsp minced garlic
5cm/2in fresh root ginger, finely grated
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp amchur (dried mango powder)
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp salt
1/2 tin chopped tons.
1 green chillies, thin sliced
150g/5½oz frozen peas
1 tsp garam masala
1tsp mustard seed
Tin coconut milk
Approx 100g desiccated & dried coconut slices.
Any ideas? Thanks 

'CURRY' ! 🤨

I'd personally double the spices for that volume of potato /tomatoes.

Potatoes are very good at neutralising strong flavours too. Also try a bit of salt

Ok @BillywigSting I did think maybe just put extra spices in, it only has a small amount of salt as someone eating it has to have a low salt intake. I will bung some more in and see.. thanks

I made a very bland dhal once. I am not familiar with making curries. My DH checked it and added 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg! Really livened it up. I would have chucked in loads more hot spices left to my own devices and ruined the thing.

Nutmeg is a good call if you have it but only a pinch it can be very overpowering.

Also try a spoonful of sugar if it's a coconut based curry

Oo ok thank you, I will see what it's like after adding a bit more of the spices then might add a touch of nutmeg, it looks and smells delicious though.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out!

Well I added extra cumin/turmeric/coriander/garam masala and a bit of shop bought curry powder, a large pinch of nutmeg and a tsp of sugar, it is still a little bland but I can't taste the coconut at all, I just added another half can of thick coconut cream but no difference really. I think it's edible just not as super delicious as I imagined in my head though, booooo.
Cheers for your help. 

How fresh are your spices? If you bought them ground they lose their flavour fairly quickly. Better to buy whole spices and grind them yourself either in a pestle and mortar or a coffee grinder.

Also, always toast/fry the spices until you can smell them before you add the tomatoes, potatoes, etc. Onions add flavour too - fry the onions until translucent, add the garlic, ginger and other spices then the rest of the ingredients, finishing with coconut milk.

You've got onion - missed that. I'd probably double the onion and all the spices for 2kg potatoes.

Did you fry the spices first? I'd at least double if not triple the spices and the onions for that amount of spuds and coconut. And I'd add a ton of garlic too.

Ok so @wowfudge all spices are fresh and recently brought over from Kerala by friend, they were all properly fried/ toasted off first too, pretty much in the order of your list.

@BertrandRussell, I have added extra amounts of spices, also a tablespoon of standard curry powder.
.
It tastes ok, I had to add a cup more coconut cream but it's not very coconutty at all.
I think it's edible enough but won't be trying this one again. 
Thanks for all the help.