The Easiest Way To Spiral Cucumbers Without Any Tools

Did you know that cucumbers are 95% water, can cool the body and the blood (hence the saying, "as cool as a cucumber"), and were so favored by the Roman Emperor Tiberius, that according to Pliny the Elder's book "Natural History," he never went a day without eating them? Well, here's another random cucumber fact to add to your plate: You can make impressive-looking cucumber spirals (the same ones that have been popping up all over social media lately) by using just two basic utensils — chopsticks and a knife.

Like all the best kitchen hacks out there, this one is great because it relies on items that most people already have on hand, rather than fancy tools or gadgets, to produce a top-quality result. It's also quick and easy (words that are magic to the ears of cooks everywhere); and perhaps most exciting of all, saves on dishes (gadgets have their place, but they're almost never fun to wash).

As for the hack itself, simply place a cucumber between two chopsticks and slice into it with a sharp kitchen knife at a 45-degree angle in even intervals, the entire way along (not dissimilar to the technique used to make hasselback potatoes). Then flip the cucumber over and repeat this process, only using straight cuts this time rather than angled ones. Gently pull the sliced cucumber apart with your fingers, and voila, you have show-stopping cucumber spirals.

These accordion-like strands can hold and absorb a considerable amount of flavor, and provide substantial texture due to their natural crunch and unusual shape. This has made spiral cucumbers a particularly popular choice for salads (and by popular, we mean they've gone absolutely viral). Try them tossed with Asian-inspired ingredients like garlic, chili flakes, sesame seeds, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Go down the Greek route and dress them with mint, finely chopped red onion, and crumbled feta (even a little unsweetened yoghurt could work here), or opt for more Moroccan flavors like harissa, honey, garlic and lemon zest.

Whatever flavor combo you settle on, always be sure to dress the cucumber spirals as close as possible to eating, otherwise their natural juices will start to water down the other ingredients or worse, make them soggy. You can however prepare the components separately and store them in the fridge for up to a day before serving, and keep any leftover salad for about the same time.

Salads aren't the only way you can enjoy cucumber spirals, however. You could also pickle them and serve them as a condiment alongside spicy dishes like Korean fried chicken, or use them as a garnish for a cocktail (how incredible would they look sitting atop a refreshing margarita, or a tangy bloody mary?). Failing that, you could stuff them into wraps, pita, or anything else that would benefit from a little cucumber treatment.