Southeast Asia

Fish Sauce Ladle

Vietnam, Thailand, and the wider fish-sauce-using region

A small ladle used to portion fish sauce and fish-sauce-based dipping sauces from a larger bottle or jar into individual serving bowls at the table.

Small metal or ceramic bowl on a short handle, sized for controlled pouring of a strong, concentrated liquid rather than bulk serving.

Portioning nuoc cham, nam pla, and similar sauces into small individual dipping bowls, a standard part of table setup for many regional meals.

Any small spoon or ladle serves the same function; dedicated versions are mostly a matter of matching table setting aesthetics rather than necessity.

Rinse promptly, since dried fish sauce residue has a strong odor that lingers if left uncleaned.