Vietnamese Poutine

Our Family's Steak, Fries & Rice

This is one of my son's favorite meals, and he still asks me to make it whenever he comes home from college—even though he already knows how to make it himself.

Our family jokingly calls it Vietnamese Poutine.

It isn't traditional poutine, of course. There are no cheese curds or gravy. Instead, I serve thinly sliced, savory flank steak with crispy French fries and hot steamed rice. The juices and sauce from the steak run into the rice and fries, bringing everything together.

It's simple, filling, economical, and has been a family favorite for years.

I started making this dish as an affordable way to serve steak to the whole family. Instead of giving everyone a large individual steak, I slice flank steak thinly and cook it quickly with seasonings and sauce. A smaller amount of meat goes much further when served with rice and potatoes, but the meal still feels generous and satisfying.

The combination may sound unusual at first rice and French fries on the same plate—but somehow it works. The rice absorbs the savory juices from the beef, while the fries add their crispy, salty texture.

And when my children were growing up, they loved it.

A Meal My Son Still Requests

Now my son is away at college and can cook this dish himself. But whenever he comes home to visit, he still asks:

“Can you make steak and fries?”

Of course I make it.

There are certain foods you learn to cook for yourself, but you still want them made by the person who made them for you growing up.

For me, that's what makes this recipe worth including in my collection. It isn't an elaborate dish or something you would necessarily find on a restaurant menu. It's simply our family's food—the kind of meal that brings everyone to the table.

.Why I Call It Vietnamese Poutine

Canadian poutine traditionally combines French fries, cheese curds, and gravy. My dish is quite different, but the idea of hot fries covered with something savory always reminds me of poutine.

My version has a Vietnamese home-cooking personality: steamed rice, thinly sliced marinated beef, plenty of savory juices, and crispy fries.

So in our house, it became Vietnamese Poutine.

Not authentic Canadian poutine. Not a traditional Vietnamese recipe. Just something delicious that happened in our kitchen and stayed.

Stir-Fry Flank Steak and Potato Fries Recipe:

Supplies:

• Mixing bowl medium size or tall container

• Spatula

• Scale

• measurement cups/measurement spoon

• Wok or frying saucepan /grill skillet

• Container

Vietnamese Poutine

Our Family's Steak, Fries & Rice

Serves: 3–4

Ingredients

Marinated Beef

• 350g flank steak

• 1 tsp fish sauce

• 1½ tbsp light soy sauce

• 3 tbsp oyster sauce

• 3 tbsp canola, vegetable, or olive oil

• ½ medium onion, thinly sliced

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (about ½ tsp)

• Ground black pepper, to taste

If you don't have fish sauce: Omit it and increase the soy sauce to approximately 2 tablespoons.

Prepare the Beef

Slice the flank steak thinly across the grain. Thin slices cook quickly and stay more tender.

Place the beef in a bowl and add the fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking oil, and black pepper.

Mix well until the beef is evenly coated.

Allow the beef to marinate while you prepare the rice and French fries.

Thinly slice flank steak

Steps:

Cook the Beef

1. Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot.

2. Add the sliced onion and cook briefly until fragrant and beginning to soften.

3. Add the marinated beef and garlic.

4. Sear briefly over high heat, then reduce the heat.

5. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the beef is cooked and has released some of its flavorful juices.

6. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Don't cook the sauce completely dry. Those savory juices are part of this dish, they soak into the rice and fries when everything comes together.

To Serve

Place hot steamed rice and crispy French fries together on each plate. Spoon the beef and onions generously over the top, making sure to include plenty of the savory pan juices.

As you eat, the rice and fries mix with the beef gravy, soaking up all that flavor and turning a simple amount of steak into a filling, comforting meal.

The fries give you crisp edges and soft potato, while the rice absorbs the sauce. Add the tender slices of beef and onion, and everything is meant to be eaten together.

Kitchen’s Note

Slice across the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes flank steak easier to chew.

Use a very hot skillet at the beginning. It helps the thin beef develop flavor quickly.

Don't overcook the beef. Because the slices are thin, they cook quickly.

Keep some of the pan juices. This isn't supposed to be dry stir-fried beef. The sauce running into the rice and fries is part of what makes our family's version so good.

Make It Your Own

You can prepare homemade fries from fresh potatoes or use frozen French fries when you want a quicker family dinner. This is comfort food, not an entrance examination for culinary school.

A Family Comfort Meal

This was always an economical way for me to make a little steak go further for the family. With rice, fries, onions, and plenty of savory beef gravy, 350g of flank steak becomes a generous meal for everyone.

That's also why my son still asks for it when he comes home from college. He knows how to make it himself, but apparently knowing the recipe has not relieved his mother of her contractual obligations.Enjoy these delightful steak and fries !