Pickled Napa Cabbage

1. Gather all the ingredients.

To Slice and Weigh

1. Discard the tough core of 500 g napa cabbage. Then, thinly slice the cabbage crosswise and against the grain, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
2. Place a resealable plastic bag on the kitchen scale and add the napa cabbage. Check the weight of the napa cabbage. The weight of my napa cabbage is 500 grams. The salt should be 2.5% of the napa cabbage weight. Therefore, I will need 12.5 grams of salt for the next step.

To Add the Salt

1. Add 12.5 g Diamond Crystal kosher salt into the plastic bag.

To Add the Sesame Flavor (Option 1)

1. To make sesame-flavored pickles, first withdraw the moisture from the napa cabbage before seasoning. Rub the napa cabbage and salt together through the bag. Seal the bag and set it aside for 30 minutes. Once in a while, rub the cabbage through the bag to facilitate the pickling.
2. After 30 minutes, the napa cabbage will have wilted and released moisture. Taste the napa cabbage and make sure the texture and saltiness are to your liking. Squeeze out the liquid and drain the released moisture from the bag.
3. Add 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil and 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds to the bag and mix them all together by shaking and rubbing the bag. Now, the pickled napa cabbage is ready to serve.

To Add the Kombu Flavor (Option 2)

1. Alternatively, you can flavor your pickles with kombu (dried kelp). Cut 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) into thin strips and add (along with optional 1 dried red chili pepper, seeded and sliced) to the plastic bag with the fresh napa cabbage and salt.
2. Rub the napa cabbage and salt together through the bag. Seal the bag and set it aside for 30 minutes. Once in a while, rub the cabbage through the bag to facilitate the pickling.
3. After 30 minutes, the napa cabbage will have wilted and released moisture. Taste the napa cabbage and make sure the texture and saltiness are to your liking. Squeeze out the liquid and drain the released moisture from the bag.
4. Add 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) to the bag and mix it all together by shaking and rubbing the bag. Now, the pickled napa cabbage is ready to serve.

To Store and Serve

1. Transfer your Pickled Napa Cabbage to airtight containers. You can keep the Pickled Napa Cabbage in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Serve directly at the table from their containers or serve portions on small, individual plates. You can drizzle a little bit of soy sauce for taste if preferred.