Lüdou Bingbang (Mung Bean Popsicles)

Instructions

1. Pick over the dried green mung beans for stones, then rinse them in a sieve until the water runs clear.
2. Put the beans and the 1200 ml water in a large saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and simmer over low heat until the beans have split open and are very soft, 45 to 50 minutes. Stir now and then so they do not stick.
3. Stir in the granulated sugar and salt until dissolved. Taste: the soup should taste a little sweeter than you like, because freezing dulls sweetness.
4. Whisk the glutinous rice flour with the cold water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the simmering soup and cook, stirring, until it turns slightly glossy and coats a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Take the pan off the heat and pulse a stick blender in the soup a few times, just enough to purée about half the beans; leave plenty of whole beans for texture.
6. Let the soup cool to room temperature, stirring now and then, about 1 hour.
7. Stir well and ladle the soup into twelve 3-oz (90 ml) ice pop molds, sharing the beans evenly. Freeze for 1 hour, until slushy, then stir each pop with its stick to spread the beans and push the sticks in.
8. Freeze until solid, at least 6 hours more. To unmold, run warm water over the outside of the molds for 10 to 15 seconds and pull the pops out.