Bamboo leaves and rice dumpling leaves are both commonly used materials for wrapping rice dumplings, they are very similar but there are some differences, I'll tell you more about these differences below.

Difference in appearance

Bamboo leaves: bamboo leaves are long, slightly curled, smooth surface and have brown spots of different sizes.

Zongzhong leaves: zongzhong leaves are oval or obovate, smooth, dark green and without spots. The ends of the leaves are pointed and there is a slightly raised vein in the center.

Touch difference

Bamboo leaves: bamboo leaves are relatively hard and rough to the touch, and will make a certain noise when scraped.

Dumpling leaves: the texture of dumpling leaves is relatively soft, relatively smooth to the touch, and will not make noise when scraped.

Regional differences

Bamboo leaves: bamboo leaves are mostly produced in Jiangnan, Sichuan, Yunnan and other regions.

Dumpling leaves: dumpling leaves are mostly produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and other regions.

It is important to note that when you buy, you can look at the material of the zongzi labeled by the merchant, because sometimes the merchant will use other leaves to replace the zongzi leaves or bamboo leaves in order to reduce the cost. If you are not sure, you can consult a salesperson or an experienced deli chef to make a judgment.