Indian Baingan Bharta Eggplant: Cook-Off!

I found two recipes that sounded really alike: Bangan ka Bhurta and Baingan Bharta.  They are similar, but differ slightly, so I decided to do a comparison of the two in a cook-off.  

First, the Bangan ka Bhurta was a lot faster.  I don't have a microwave, so I left it in the broiler for longer (about 12 minutes).  I'm not sure what the difference was supposed to be in making the move from broiler to microwave, but it turned out fine.  I had less problems with this dish, but it's also not as flavorful as I would have wished.  It's very simple and bare, for lack of a better word.  But if you're up for a very au natural kind of dish that celebrates the taste of onion, tomato and eggplant, this is a good option.

Second, the Baingan Bharta turned out a lot drier than expected.  I would have liked it better moist and a even a little runny because it would help to balance the dryness of the rice.  Spiced dishes, as opposed to salty ones, are better poured all over your rice grains.  For those of you who like to salt your eggplant to remove excess moisture, don't.  You'll need that extra moisture.  I found that I didn't need that extra 5 minutes of cooking uncovered at the end and instead needed to add water to the mixture in the 10 minutes it was steaming.  I also definitely recommend using a teflon pan.  Lastly, from the reviews on the site, I question the authenticity of this recipe because of the yogurt and curry additions.

Although the second has better flavoring, I'd choose the first recipe simply because the second is drastically dry.