Pink Lentil and Kritharaki Salad with Zaatar covered Aubergine

I bought organic slight pink colored lentils from the Gascogne region of France. They are small and the information on the back of the package said it was good for salads. This is a vital information, because using red lentils would not be such a clever idea, because they cook to a mush in a very short time. The pink lentils cooked for 20 minutes and kept their shape.

The usual  pasta is to big to go well with this small lentils so I took some Greek Kritharki rice shaped pasta.
Aubergine or Eggplant was never one of my favourite kinds of veg. I ate it but not sought  it out to cook often with it. Since the trip to Sicily, I am finally a friend of this veg. It is versatile and needs a good seasoning or a good sauce to stand on its own. Travelling gives me insights and that is something I love.

recipe for 3:
125 g pink lentils from the Gascogne
100 g Kritharaki pasta
2 spring onions
1 red bell pepper
1 tomato
1 handful of spring greens or herbs
1 tbsp oil
40 g pine nuts
30 g sesame seeds

Dressing:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp strong honey - I used truffle honey
3 tbsp olive oil
2  tbsp pink balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp red curry powder mild
celery seeds
sumac
7 pepper mix
fleur de sel
1 tbsp warm water

2 Aubergines / Eggplant
salt
5 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Zaatar seasoning
chili salt and pepper

In unsalted water cook the lentils for 20 minutes, drain.
Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch slices, put them into a bowl and salt them, toss them and let them sit minimum 30 minutes, dry on kitchen paper.
In salted water cook the pasta for 15 minutes, drain and add a tbsp of olive oil.
In a wide pan with not fat roast the pine nuts and short before they are ready toss in the sesame seeds.
In the same pan in a little oil fry the spring onions.
Chop tomato and bell pepper into small cubes and chop the greens.
In the pan heat up the rest of the oil, season the eggplant slices with Zaatar, chili salt and pepper and on medium heat cook until done.
Make the dressing and bring the salad together and serve with the aubergine slices.