I used a mandoline for the first time when I was in culinary school. The thing scared the bejeezus out of me. Something about gliding clunky foods across a slippery surface and onto a razor-sharp blade just didn’t register as “safe” in my mind. But a few homemade coleslaws, potato chips and cucumber salads later, and I had traded fear for fascination. How could such a tiny, non-electronic gadget produce such perfect slices and slivers and juliennes and … noodles?

Turn off the stove and step away from the carbs because there’s a new noodle on the block and he is sweet, spicy, sour and seriously good for the ol’ bikini bod. All it takes to transform summer’s freshest cukes into noodles is either a mandoline or a spiralizer. But if neither of those gadgets are in your kitchen (or your foreseeable future), consider this recipe for Chilled Sweet and Sour Cucumber Noodles the ultimate test of your knife skills … and endurance.

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