Wash and - if desired - peel your cucumbers. Thinly slice your cucumbers with a mandolin or four-sided box grater.

Place the cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle 1 tbsp of salt on top, and put the bowl in the fridge for 1.5 hours.

After taking the cucumbers back out of the fridge, drain the excess water and squeeze the cucumbers either with your hands or by pushing a small plate on top to remove and drain any additional liquid.

Add the chopped hot banana pepper (optional), the crushed garlic, sugar, vinegar, sour cream, pepper, and paprika. Mix everything together in the bowl and add more spices or sour cream to taste.

Refrigerate your cucumber salad for several hours (or overnight). You can add more pepper, paprika, and chopped chives to garnish before serving.