In a medium bowl combine soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, brown sugar, mirin (or rice wine), minced garlic, grated ginger, five-spice powder and black pepper. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Place the thinly sliced pork in a shallow dish or resealable bag and pour the marinade over it. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade by pouring some into a small container before adding pork (this will be used for the glaze). Massage the marinade into the meat so all slices are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 4 hours or up to overnight for best flavor penetration.

Bring to room temperature

About 20–30 minutes before cooking, remove the marinated pork from the refrigerator and let it come toward room temperature while you preheat your grill or broiler. This helps the meat cook evenly.

Preheat and prepare to char-broil

Preheat a grill to high (450–550°F / 230–290°C) or set an oven broiler to high and position a rack 4–6 inches from the heat source. Lightly oil the grill grates or a heavy cast-iron skillet/plancha and brush the pork slices lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

Cook the pork

Cook the pork in a single layer on the hot grill or under the broiler for about 1.5–2 minutes per side until the edges begin to char and caramelize. Because slices are thin, work quickly to avoid drying out. Cook in batches as needed to avoid crowding; keep finished slices warm on a plate tented with foil.

Glaze the pork (finishing)

While pork cooks, combine the reserved 1/4 cup marinade, honey, rice vinegar and optional chili sauce in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer. Mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry and whisk into the simmering liquid. Cook 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Brush or toss the cooked pork slices with the warm glaze just before serving so they are shiny and sticky.

Rice and Assembly

Cook the rice

Rinse the rice under cold water until the rinse runs mostly clear to remove excess starch. Combine the rinsed rice and 2 1/4 cups water in a pot with a tight-fitting lid (or in a rice cooker). Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (or follow rice cooker instructions). Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Prepare garnishes

While rice rests, slice scallions thinly on the bias, cut cucumber into thin slices or matchsticks, and drain/arrange any pickled vegetables. Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, shaking constantly to avoid burning.

Assemble bowls

Divide the cooked rice between 4 bowls (about 1/2 cup cooked rice per serving if making 4 — adjust if you want larger portions). Top each bowl with an even portion of char-broiled pork slices (about 5 oz per serving) and spoon any remaining glaze over the meat. Arrange cucumber, pickled radish and scallions around the pork. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and cilantro leaves over the top. Serve immediately.

Serving suggestions

Offer extra sliced scallions, chili sauce, or a small bowl of warm soy-sesame dipping sauce on the side. Leftover pork keeps 2–3 days refrigerated; briefly reheat in a hot skillet to re-crisp the edges before serving.