The bomb had been placed on a public bus which was passing by the United World Trade Center, a recently opened shopping mall in Kathmandu. Another bomb blast took place within a matter of minutes of the first bomb explosion at a local open market just five minutes walk away from the shopping mall. The bombings caused two deaths and severe injuries to several women and children who were shopping for an upcoming festive event. A break-away faction of a group fighting for the inclusion of their issues by the interim government claimed responsibility.

My excitement knew no bounds.

“Yes ! Yes ! Mashpo momo is really tasty. I heard about it and I went to the United World Trade Center and tasted it. I have also told my friends.”

“Suda ji, really, did you really like the mashpo momo ?” I asked excitedly. In my five years of working with Suda, I had never once heard a remark of satisfaction when we eat together. You see, Suda herself is an experienced cook and I have heard a really good one.

Despite my excitement, a question rose in my mind – strange I had not seen Suda at the Teej Festival Event which was held at the United World Trade Center. I asked Suda when she had tasted it. She replied, “The day before the bomb blast in front of the United World Trade Center. There is this restaurant on the top floor which serves very good food. I have eaten so many vegetarian momos, but never such a good one as the mashpo momo.”

Someone else was selling our mashpo momos. My excitement knew no bounds.

Selling a bit of compassion

“Mashpo momo” is a term I coined when Veggie Mamas decided to sell mashed potato momos at the Teej Festival. “Potato momo” sounded so uninviting (with due apologies to what I call the king of vegetables – potato.) and mashed potato momo was too much of a mouthful. Then again a vegetarian momo is something that people eat at home. It is not sold commercially. To many, only meat momos are considered commercially viable. But our Veggie Mamas “mashpo momos” attracted a lot of attention during the Teej Festival. People wanted to know what it was.

At Veggie Mamas we are thrilled. Our first goal is fulfilled in that that mashpo momos are considered commercially viable enough to be offered by other outlets – a fancy one at that. People will have a vegetarian option to the regular non-vegetarian momos. The more outlets there are serving mashpo momos, the more the promotion of a vegetarian dish. We have contributed that first tiny drop into the ocean.

Changes are taking place at Veggie Mamas!!!

Kumari and Kesang have been joined by Sangeeta, another friend of ours whom we have known since the 1980s. She is the founder of an organization called Slisha, working for women and children to get equitable opportunities in Nepal.

Veggie Mamas’ are now three individual partners: Kumari, Sangeeta and Kesang. We have also agreed in principle that Veggie Mamas should go into partnership with Slisha organization.

Slisha (means “connection” in Nepali). It is also a non-governmental organization formed in 1999 by a group of professionals who believe that development in the country can take place only with the improvement of the status of women and children.

Slisha identifies good practices/strengths which exist in the community and promotes them. This is known as the positive deviance approach.

Due to the conflict in Nepal, child victims have been deprived of education, which is their fundamental right. Slisha has a component working on promoting peace, reconciliation and non-violence among child victims of conflict in Nepal. Slisha has initiated a peace campaign to provide education for at least 400 children in the remote districts of Ramechhap, Rautahat, Bara and Sindhuli.

Our partnership promotes a culture of non violence and wise selfishness among children and youth through vegetarianism. The income from the Veggie Mama catering and restaurant business will be directed towards funding Slisha activities.

The Veggie Mamas are proud to be working with the Slisha organization. Read more about the developments in this partnership next time !

More Veggie Mama Stories:
- Losing a bit of compassion
- No Mashpo Momos!!!
- The Veggie Mamas’ Dream
- My First Shot at Becoming Vegetarian
- Mashpo Momo on the Go!
- Thank you my son
- About Veggie Mamas

Try the Mashpo Momo Recipe tonight!