Green Olives Cafe’s Falafel

In their attempts to find fulfillment, many individuals end up making matters far worse by taking on so many pursuits that they are unable to derive little if any joy from their endeavors. One need only watch Nouzha Cooper as she prepares food to know she is not among those who have to experiment with practice after practice to notice their niche. Since 2012, the 43-year-old has pleased patrons at Green Olives Cafe, 1941 E. Passyunk Ave., with her culinary creations and delightful demeanor.

“This is what makes me happy,” the hostess said from the 50-seat East Passyunk Crossing-based establishment. “There are all sorts of ingredients for our food, but the favorite for me is my love.”

The Haverford occupant developed her affection for provisions as a Moroccan-reared youth. With 17 years in the United States, the Marrakesh product has proven that no matter where one lands, if a person can blend passion for a vocation and a sunny disposition, people will applaud the effort and encourage additional displays of verve.

“It’s easy to catch me singing and dancing as I tend to orders,” Cooper said of keeping owner George Ghawi’s location a light destination. “I want to make everyone who walks in here feel special.”

Guests will also be able to call themselves “full” through a trek to Green Olives Cafe. Window-situated Golden Grub awards certificates make apparent that the site has won the favor of local diners, a fact that charms Cooper, who noted the BYOB spot prides itself on being the gateway to the restaurant haven that East Passyunk Avenue has become. With so many tempting options available in the vicinity, she contends Green Olives has enjoyed success because the food never needs to sacrifice taste to preserve a dish’s status as a healthy selection. Fewer considerations make that more evident than the Green Olive Variety of Appetizers consisting of hummus, baba ghanouj, grape leaves, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, and falafel, with Cooper choosing to share the recipe for the chickpea-constituted gem.

“We receive many compliments for our falafel,” she said of the item that also comes in sandwich form and as an appetizer on its own. “It’s a staple food in Middle Eastern countries and some African lands, too. It’s also an easy enough food to attempt to make, and the more you try to do so, the better you’ll become at it and the more confident you will be to share what you’ve made.”

Ingredients:

A large quantity of chickpeas

Salt, pepper, onions, and parsley

Directions:

Soak the chickpeas overnight. Grind the legumes, and add the salt, pepper, onions, and parsley. Form into balls using a falafel scoop, and deep fry at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. ■

Green Olives Cafe

Owner: George Ghawi

Opened: 2012

1941 E. Passyunk Ave.

267-639-3527

greenolivescafe.com

Hostess Nouzha Cooper