It's true that there are very few good Indian restaurants in the US,
especially outside the main metropolitan areas. It's also true that
most people who say they do not like Indian food have never tasted the
enormous variety that makes up that cuisine.

India is a very large country split into many different regions, each
with its own distinct style. The differences between themh is similar
to the difference between New Orleans and California. All the
countries that have curry dishes originally developed them by copying
India.

Anything you buy as a ready made paste or pre ground spice will not
make a good dish. It will lack all the wonderful nuances of fresh
spices, especially the aromatics. It's unfortunate that very few
people have any idea what good Indian food really is. (It's like
defining US food by MacDonald's and Kentucky fried Chicken.)

A few people have mentioned cook books by Madhur Jaffrey. These are
an excellent introduction, I have two myself. Follow her recipes.

It's well worth grinding the spices (freshly) yourself and cooking
from scratch. Make your own pastes and sauces. It's worth the
effort.

http://www.richardfisher.com