tilapia curry???

I don' t know how to use curry powder. so of course, i try without finding a credible recipe out of what could be either a sense of adventure, or sheer laziness. i seasoned some tilapia fillets with salt and a bit of curry powder. a bit later, put some oil into a pan with smushed garlic and some more curry powder in the hopes that that'd bring out some of the aroma and flavor into the oil. then i tossed in my fishies, some onions, and half a bag of frozen peas that had last served as an icepack for my puffy cheeks when i got my teeth out. it didn't taste half bad. but it still seemed rather bland compared to the real stuff. i want to make the type of indian food my neighbors make--so strong and aromatic that you can smell it all the way down the hall and around the corner.