Training 45380 - Why set up NxQ then play RxQ?

en.lichess.org/training/45380

So this one has me really baffled. Trap the queen and black's reply lets you play RxQ straight away, but then fork king and queen and you can play NxQ for a better material gain - but then the solution's main line favours RxQ anyway! (Though accepts NxQ as valid).

Playing around in the analysis, I see that stockfish scores both lines similarly, and stronger than just RxQ at the first opportunity. But I'm struggling to understand why. Keeping the rook is better on material and seems to continue to pressure black's king - what's the compensation for giving the rook up?

1. Nf5
2. Ne7+
3. Nxg6

^ Completely missing the point. That's a valid solution. ALSO a valid solution is:

1. Nf5
2. Ne7+
3. Rxg6

Evaluated nearly the same by stockfish, and I don't understand why when it's materially inferior.

The only compensation I can find is that by taking with the R you force Black to recapture with the N: if 3... hxg6 then 4.Rxe5!; 4... fxe5 is taboo because of 5. e4!! and mate in 4.
Once the N is no longer on e5 you can play 4.Nxc6. So as compensation you have N+P for the R; the position must be slightly better too, otherwise Stockfish wouldn't evaluate both options as being nearly equal.
It's all tactically incredibly complicated though. I think that puzzles like this tend to confuse and frustrate, which is a shame.