The Spice That Wasn't There

I made an absolutely beautiful spicy potato curry tonight - soft, well-cooked potatoes, bright red cherry tomatoes in a lovely tumeric-infused yellow. A lovely afterburn, coming from the roasted serrano and two roasted jalapeños. But... it wasn't that good. Fine. But it was missing something - mostly I think I just didn't put enough spices in as I added the potatoes and more milk to simmer. A minor disappointment, given how lovely it looked and how nice it smelled whilst cooking, but - a learning experience, non?