How to Make Spiral Chinese Cucumber Salad
Master the chopstick cutting technique to transform crisp Persian cucumbers into an accordion spiral tossed in a savory, spicy garlic chili vinaigrette.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
- Tap Start Camera Coach when you want hands-free voice help.
- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Chef's knife
- ✓ Wooden cutting board
- ✓ Pair of flat wooden chopsticks
- ✓ Small mixing bowl
- ✓ Whisk
- ✓ Paper towels
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 4 Persian cucumbers
- ✓ 1 tbsp kosher salt
- ✓ 2 cloves minced garlic
- ✓ 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ✓ 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- ✓ 1 tbsp chili crisp
- ✓ 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- ✓ 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Maintain a firm claw grip with non-knife fingers tucked safely away from the blade.
- • Place a damp cloth or silicone mat under the cutting board to prevent slipping while slicing.
- • Use flat or squared chopsticks rather than round ones so they remain stationary against the cucumber.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Wash and Trim Cucumbers
Rinse the Persian cucumbers under cold running water and thoroughly dry them with paper towels. Place each cucumber flat on the cutting board and slice off approximately 1/4 inch from both stem and blossom ends. Ensure the cucumber sits stably on the board without wobbling.
- • Ends are cleanly squared off
- • Skin is dry and free of surface grit
- • Leaving the ends on, which introduces bitter or fibrous textures into the salad.
Make Straight Vertical Cross-Cuts
Place one cucumber horizontally between a pair of flat wooden chopsticks pressed tightly against its sides. Hold your chef's knife perpendicular (at a 90-degree angle) to the cucumber and make closely spaced vertical slices along the entire length. Cut completely through the cucumber until the knife blade strikes the chopsticks, which act as depth stops.
- • Even slits roughly 1/8-inch apart across the entire top surface
- • Chopsticks completely stop the knife from slicing through to the board
- • Pressing too hard and cutting into the wooden chopsticks or slicing past them.
Flip and Make Diagonal Cross-Cuts
Roll the cucumber completely over (180 degrees) so the uncut bottom is now facing directly upward. Position the chopsticks firmly against both sides again, then angle your knife at approximately 45 degrees. Slice along the entire length at this diagonal angle, cutting down until the blade hits the chopstick guides.
- • Cucumber pulls out like an accordion or slinky without breaking into pieces
- • Diagonal cuts intersect bottom half while top vertical cuts remain intact
- • Cutting straight down again on the reverse side instead of angling at 45 degrees, which causes the cucumber to sever into disjointed coins.
Salt and Draw Out Excess Moisture
Carefully place the sliced spiral cucumbers into a colander or bowl and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt. Gently expand the spirals with your fingers so the salt penetrates between the cuts, then let sit for 8 to 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold water to wash off excess salt and gently pat dry with paper towels.
- • Cucumbers become noticeably flexible and bendable without snapping
- • Pool of extracted moisture at the bottom of the bowl
- • Skipping the cold water rinse, which leaves the salad overly salty.
Whisk the Spicy Garlic Dressing
In a small mixing bowl, combine the minced garlic, soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, chili crisp, toasted sesame oil, and a pinch of granulated sugar. Whisk vigorously until the ingredients are fully emulsified and the sugar granules have completely dissolved. Taste the dressing and adjust the chili crisp level to match your desired heat preference.
- • Dressing is glossy, emulsified, and deep amber-red in color
- • Garlic bits are evenly suspended in the liquid
- • Using plain white vinegar instead of Chinese black vinegar, which results in a harsh acid profile.
Dress, Marinate, and Garnish
Arrange the spiralized cucumbers in a shallow serving dish or bowl, gently stretching them to expose the folds. Pour the prepared dressing evenly over the cucumbers, allowing it to pool inside the accordion crevices. Garnish generously with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately or let chill for 10 minutes.
- • Deep reddish-brown dressing coats every internal pocket of the spiral
- • Sesame seeds are speckled evenly across the cucumber peaks
- • Letting the salad sit dressed for hours before serving, which makes the cucumbers soggy.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by MyHealthyDish — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Wooden chopsticks? Two wooden skewers, butter knives, or pencils taped along the cutting board
- No Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang)? Equal parts rice vinegar and balsamic vinegar
- No Chili crisp? Chili oil, Sriracha, or red pepper flakes bloomed in hot oil
- No Persian cucumbers? English hothouse cucumbers (cut into 4-inch segments)