Watermelon popsicles with basil and chili pepper

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large bunch Thai basil, leaves and stems coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 pod of Thai bird's eye pepper
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 3 cups watermelon, cut into 2.5cm cubes
• Special equipment: 4 ice cream molds with a capacity of 120 ml or 6 molds with a capacity of 90 ml, 4-6 ice cream sticks

Preparation:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until all the sugar has dissolved. Then turn off the heat, add the basil to the syrup, and stir. Cool completely at room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop the chili pepper. Sprinkle the pepper with salt and chop it with a knife until the salt turns slightly pink.
3. Place the watermelon and lime juice in a blender. Strain the basil syrup through a sieve, mashing the basil with a spoon to release as much of the aromatic oil as possible. Discard the leaves. Blend everything until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Pour the watermelon mixture into a large measuring cup with a liquid spout.
4. Pour the puree into popsicle molds, leaving a 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) from the top (the mixture will expand). Insert popsicle sticks and freeze for at least 5 hours or overnight. Remove the finished ice cream from the molds and sprinkle with salt and pepper on one or both sides, depending on your preference. Serve immediately with peppercorns in a separate bowl.