Peel and roughly chop the onion, ginger, and garlic. Add to the bowl of a food processor or blender along with the cinnamon, clove, and black pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the cream spooned from the top of the can of coconut milk. Blend/process until as smooth as possible (it will still be a little chunky).
Heat the oil in a pan on medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds start to crackle and have browned, add the ground paste. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring often, until mixture is reduced and lightly browned.
Add the turmeric and ground coriander, mix well, fry 1 minute more.
Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, salt, and sugar turn the heat up to high and reduce to medium-high once bubbling and nearly boiling. Let simmer around 5-8 minutes or until the curry is at your desired consistency.
Add the garam masala, and lemon juice, mix well, and take off the heat. Taste and add more salt, sugar, or lemon juice as needed.
