Direction

1. Thoroughly wash, dry, and chop the greens into bite-sized portions. 
2. Chop the green onions into 2-inch pieces.
3. In a very large bowl, combine the greens, onions and salt, and toss to evenly distribute all the salt. Let the vegetables sit for 20 to 30 minutes while the salt draws out moisture.
4. Knead the veggies with your hands until the greens have wilted and the volume is reduced to half. There should be a pool of liquid in the bottom of the bowl.
5. Split the chiles in half lengthwise.
6. Split the chiles in half lengthwise. Fill the jars about two-thirds of the way with equal amounts of greens and chiles. 
7. Tamp down the veggies with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
8. If your veggies are not fully submerged in their own juices, you can top them off with brine.
9. Bring water and salt to a boil, and stir until the salt is dissolved. Let the brine cool, then pour it into your jars until the veggies are barely covered (they will continue to expel liquid as they ferment, so you don’t want to overfill the jars).
10. Run a chopstick or the end of a long spoon around the jars to release any trapped air pockets. You want to make sure the veggies are completely covered in liquid.
11. Line the jars with plastic zip-top bags and press down on the veggies. Fill the baggies with a little water (or a rock) to keep them weighted. The baggies should completely contact the surface of the veggies so that no part is exposed to air.
12. Seal the jars loosely with lids and store them at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
13. Every day or so, check the jars to ensure the veggies are still submerged, pressing down on them with a spoon as needed to release more liquid. As long as the liquid stays above the veggies, you won’t see any mold.
14. You can taste the cải chua after one week to gauge the amount of sourness and spice, but typically it won’t be ready for two to three weeks. The warmer your room is, the faster it’ll ferment.