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1
Trim the cabbage of hard parts and discard any discolored leaves; chop the rest into pieces no bigger than 2 inches along any dimension.
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2
Toss in a nonmetal bowl with the salt and chile.
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3
Cover with plastic wrap and a plate that will fit inside the bowl; weight the plate as well as you can with cans, a rock, or a resealable plastic bag filled with water.
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4
Let sit, unrefrigerated, for a day or longer, tossing the cabbage occasionally and draining liquid as it accumulates.With each passing day, the cabbage will become softer and more translucent; you can eat it at any stage.
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5
When it reaches the stage you like, refrigerate.
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6
Serve as a small side dish, with or without soy sauce.
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7
You can treat an assortment of vegetables the same way.
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8
Combine, for example, thinly sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced carrots, and peeled and thinly sliced turnips.
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9
Eggplant, onion, and radish (especially daikon), all peeled and thinly sliced, are also good.
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10
You can also add trimmed and chopped scallions, peeled and thinly sliced garlic, and/or a few slices of peeled fresh ginger to the mix.
