Rinse the pork belly and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 inches wide (4 cm), lengthwise. Make shallow cuts every 1 1/2–2 inches (4–5 cm) without cutting all the way through. Use a sharp skewer to poke holes all over the skin to help it crisp up when roasting.

Mix 1 tsp seasoning granules and 1 tsp five-spice powder. Smash the garlic, then mince or crush it.

Place the pork belly skin-side down on a tray, meat side up. Drizzle a little garlic juice over the meat (just a small amount). Rub the seasoning and five-spice mixture evenly over the meat, but do not rub onto the skin.

Preheat the oven to 480°F (250°C) on convection with top heat for 15 minutes. After 3 minutes of preheating, rub 1 tsp salt onto the skin. Immediately place the pork in the oven, skin side up (do not let the salt draw out moisture before roasting).

When the time is up, reset the oven to 400–430°F (200–220°C) for 45 minutes. Flip the pork so the skin is on top.

After about 30 minutes, check the pork through the oven window (avoid opening the door). Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the pork. When the skin is evenly puffed and crispy, remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Place the pork skin-side down on a cutting board and chop into bite-sized pieces. Serve with soy sauce, sliced chili, cucumber, and scallion greens.

Banh Hoi:
Although fresh banh hoi is available in Vietnam and is softer than the dried kind, I prefer using packaged dried banh hoi for food safety. Keep it on hand and cook as needed. There are two types: white rice and brown rice banh hoi. Follow the cooking instructions on the package. I usually boil it as directed and add 1 tbsp cooking oil to the boiling water.

Garlic Chive Oil for drizzling over banh hoi:
Wash the garlic chives and rinse with clean drinking water. Shake off excess water and finely chop. Place the chives in a bowl and add 1/5 tsp salt.
Heat a dry pan on the stove, add 2 tbsp olive oil, and heat until hot but not smoking. To test, after about 3 minutes, drop in a few chive pieces—if the oil bubbles immediately, pour the hot oil directly over the chives in the bowl. Stir well, then add 1 tbsp room-temperature oil to help keep the chives green and crisp.

Once the banh hoi is cooked, let it drain and cool for about 5 minutes. Separate the sheets and roll them up. Drizzle with garlic chive oil before serving. (Don’t let the noodles cool completely or they’ll stick together and be hard to separate.)

Make a quick pickled salad with kohlrabi and carrot.

To make the dipping fish sauce for banh hoi:
Pound 5–7 peeled garlic cloves and chili in a bowl. Add 3 tbsp sugar (40 grams), 1 tbsp lime juice (20 ml), 3/4 cup water (200 ml), and 3 tbsp fish sauce (50 ml). Stir until dissolved. Adjust to taste as you like.