The purpose of this step is to get some of the juices out of the vegies, so there won’t be air spaces. Oxygen in the mix can cause mold.

Now when the Kimchi starts to ferment, gas will be produced, but that gas will be CO2 which does not promote mold.

Here I’m pounding the Kimchi with a dowel. You can pound it all you want -- it does not get mushy from pounding.

Another method is to add water to fill the air spaces, by using 2 tablespoons of salt per quart of boiled/ cooled water.