Finely grate the garlic with a cheese grate or garlic press. Put the garlic and the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Half of this will be used for the marinade, the other half will be used for topping your final product. If you like lots of sauce you may want to double the sauce at this stage!
Get a large plastic bag or Tupperware. Place the steak inside and coat with half of the sauce. It should be enough to cover all 4 pieces. Let sit over night or at least 4 hours for the best flavor.
On a cookie sheet trim the ends off the asparagus and coat with a light drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle the top with approx. 1/2 tsp of sea salt. Bake on 400 for 15 minutes or until they reach your desired likeness. At this time also prepare your plain rice according to the package.
Get your grill fired up and cook the flat iron steak for approx. 5-6 on each side. Don't come after me but... I like mine a bit well done so I cook it closer to 8-10 on each side. When it doubt cut into the middle to see how it's cooked.
Styling & Final Touches: Slice and let the steak sit while you prepare the plates. On each plate put rice and lay the steak slightly over it. The add the asparagus in full pieces. This is the most important part: GENEROUSLY sprinkle with the fried Thai garlic. DO NOT skip this, it brings ALL the flavor together and gives the perfect final flavor punch. Put some of the extra sauce on top to brighten the flavor of the rice and steak. My favorite way to eat this is with a bit of rice, steak and asparagus in each bite!
Bon Appetit!
Serving Size 4