Which parts of star anise to use for grinding? I want to use star anise and need to grind them using a mortar and pestle. Should I use the whole fruits including both the seeds and the much harder to grind pods too? Do the pods contribute equally to the flavour as the seeds do? If the whole star is used, how to improve the fine grinding of the pods? (It's probably just more patience, right?)
Finecooking suggests:


  If you need ground star anise, you can grind the whole stars (both seed and pod) in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.


Grinding seeds and pods separately and the respective olfactory sensation led me to believe that both parts contribute and are worth being used.