Over medium heat in a soup kettle or Dutch oven add onions with 2 tablespoons water; sauté until tender, adding more water if needed, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno, and ginger; sauté until fragrant, about a minute longer.
Add garam masala, curry paste, cumin and turmeric; continue to cook until fragrant, just a few seconds. Add tomatoes, broth, and chickpeas; bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer to reduce to thick stew consistency, about 15 minutes longer. Stir in cilantro and let stand a few minutes to blend flavors.
Use extra cilantro to garnish each plated serving.