Brian get an electric coffee grinder, I would grind the spices in that, tip them out into a bowel mix with your pre ground spices like smoked paprika and while the onions are cooking I'd blend the ginger and garlic in the same coffee grinder as the small space makes a lovely paste.
I now have 3 food processors of different sizes so only use the coffee grinder for spices and err coffee beans. But it served me really well making that ginger garlic paste.
Also a curry of mine, kind of like a variant on a lamb madras, cooked at 150C in the oven for two hours with coconut milk (or if I've time real coconut blended with water = coconut milk).
Basically just onion, ginger, garlic, cooked on the hob with a few cloves, cardamon pods & bay leaf for 10 mins, then add ground coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, mace, turmeric, fennel seeds (half tsp) and a little cayenne chilli.
Fry spices for 2 mins, crank up the heat and throw in the lamb, fry for 5 mins and stir to make sure the lamb gets coated and nothing sticks and burns on the bottom. Throw in can of coconut milk (no light sh1t) stir and bring to a simmer.
Then transfer to an ovenproof dish (I start it all in the wok) bang in the oven and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 150C, depending on the size of the meat. You can return it to the hob and cook off some of the liquid to get the sauce the right consistency, stir in some garam masala and some chopped coriander before serving.
It is so so tasty and even better the next day reheated.