At the table
Sip the mint water and use a spoon for the cooked beans and toppings. Ask about the sweetness and additions before ordering.
Toppings and sweeteners vary. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, ask about the full mixture; a clear appearance does not establish the ingredients.
Glutinous rice and candied toppings are variable additions, not a fixed set. This entry covers the mint-water style, not the mung bean-and-lily soup.
Know what you’re trying.
- Specification
- Prepared chilled drink; cup size, topping mix and sweetness vary by seller.
Ingredients
Cooked mung beans and mint water, with optional glutinous rice and sweet toppings such as candied winter melon, peel or dates.
Origin & regional roots
Jiangsu
Associated with Jiangsu.
About this regional connection
Jiangsu: Suzhou mint-water summer preparation.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有苏式薄荷绿豆汤吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
A drink with something to spoon
This account describes a tradition or story, rather than an established historical fact.
In Suzhou, mint-water mung bean drinks offer a summer pause with both liquid and toppings. The beans and rice are eaten as well as the liquid being sipped. This style differs from the older home-style soup of mung beans and lily bulbs; the names can sound similar, so ask which preparation is served.