Prepare the cabbage: Roughly chop or tear the cabbage into about 1.5 inch (3.5 cm) bite-sized pieces. If you have a scale, weigh 1 lbs (450 grams). If using measuring cups, its about 6 cups chopped, unpacked. Rinse the cabbage thoroughly and drain well. If you have a salad spinner, use it to remove excess water.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a mixing bowl (preferably with a lid) or plastic bag, whisk together the sesame oil, ground sesame seeds, and minced garlic. If you’re using any wet umami seasonings (like soy sauce or shio koji) or shio kombu (salted kelp) add them to this mixture as well.
Season the cabbage: Place ⅓ of the cabbage in the bowl or a plastic bag. Sprinkle ⅓ the amount of salt and any dry umami seasonings (like MSG or dashi granules) over the cabbage. Repeat 2 more times. Shake or mix well. Open the lid and use your hands, chopsticks or tongs to toss the cabbage, scooping from the bottom to ensure all the seasonings is evenly distributed.
Serve: Serve immediately and enjoy!!
