Trim the tough green tops from 6-8 lemongrass stalks and cut them into 15 cm (6-inch) sticks — these are your skewers. Peel the outer layers from the white/pale lower portions and finely mince 3 tablespoons for the marinade.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, minced garlic, minced lemongrass, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands until evenly combined. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.

An hour before cooking the meat, start on your side dishes. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the rice vermicelli noodles and cook for 5 minutes. Check to see if they are cooked through.

Drain the rice noodles and run under cold water to remove excess starch and stop the noodles from cooking. Leave noodles in the colander until ready to serve.

Wash the herbs and lettuce.

Lightly wet your hands. Take about 2–3 tablespoons of the pork mixture and press it firmly around the upper portion of each lemongrass stalk, forming an even layer about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick. Brush the outside lightly with neutral oil.

Grill over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes per side, turning carefully, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F / 71°C on an instant-read thermometer. The exterior should be lightly charred with visible grill marks.

Set the table with the drained rice noodles, washed herbs and lettuce, and a large shallow bowl filled with warm water. To assemble, briefly dip one sheet of rice paper in the warm water until just pliable (about 5 seconds), lay it flat, and fill with noodles, herbs, lettuce, and sliced pork from the skewer. Roll up tightly, tucking in the sides.