Cut, rinse and boil the broccoli florets until tender (about 6-10 minutes).

Heat oil in a saucepan and sauté the onions, garlic, bay leaf and cinnamon until the onions turn translucent. Add the broccoli and salt to the onions and mix well.

Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Once it has cooled considerably, transfer to a blender and blend into a smooth mixture. You might want to do it in batches, to avoid a mess.

Return the blended mixture to the saucepan and add water to reach required consistency. Add the star anise, red chili flakes, and more salt if required and let it simmer for about five minutes.

Remove into serving bowls, garnish with sour cream/cream/cream cheese, add a dash of pepper and enjoy.

For a more indulgent version, add grated cheddar a few minutes before serving and allow the cheese to melt into the soup.I used cream cheese for garnish. Bring it to room temperature, add a little bit of warm water /milk to dilute it to a pourable consistency and use.