Making cucumber pickles for Nai Nai (my grandmother) gave me a reason to practice my roll-cutting knife skills. I remember being mesmerized by the technique when I would tippy toe to peer at the action on my mother’s cutting board. Tossing the cucumber with salt and having to wait a few minutes before dressing them with rice vinegar added to the anticipation and pleasure of eating. A delicate lace of finely ground white pepper (fermented black peppercorns) and a few drops of sesame oil balance the pickles with an earthy edge and touch of richness. I always select small cucumbers, which Nai Nai prefers, and if watermelon is in season, I go for one with a thick rind, to use in place of cucumbers.