Star anise. Chinese anise. A seed from a tree of the magnolia family which has a flavour reminiscent of liquorice. Stronger than aniseed, it is used in the same way. It looks to me more like a flower than a star, having eight points, with each "petal" containing a polished, tan coloured seed.
Dill. An herbaceous plant which grows practically all over India. It is about 1 meter (3 ft) in height, with wispy leaves bearing clusters of small yellow flowers and oval, pod-like fruits. The fruits are left to ripen on the plant until they have dried. The fragrant seeds are then extracted, threshed and dried. It has an aroma slightly reminiscent of caraway, warm, aromatic and tingly.
