Quarter the cabbage lengthwise and shred. Place it in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Massage the salt into the cabbage using your hands. Cover with cold water and weigh the cabbage down with an inverted plate. Leave at room temperature overnight.
The next day lift the cabbage out of the water with a slotted spoon or your hands and transfer to another large bowl, keep the brine. Make a paste from the chili powder, soy sauce and the fish sauce and add to the cabbage with all the other ingredients. Mix very well, again best if using your hands (although both them and the bowl will end up stained dark orange).
Prepare a glass jar with a good lid or a hard plastic tub by rinsing it with boiling water – for the above amounts you’ll need a 1l container. Pack the cabbage mix into the jar or tub, pressing down well, pour in a little of the brine to immerse the vegetables. Close the container and leave in a cool place (room temperature is fine, as long as it’s not too hot) for three to four days before the first tasting. Once it’s to your liking, keep the rest in the fridge.
