A Little Bento Surprise

I've always loved bentos. There's something about the fact that so many little tidbits are packed into such a small container. You get so many different choices and flavors, all in one neat package.

Well, I just went to a Japanese grocery store near me for the first time, so I stocked up on all sorts of fabulous goodies. It also seems like fate, since a couple of days before, I happened to pick up a couple of Japanese cookbooks that I liked. So with a full refrigerator and some great inspiration, I decided to make some side dishes for a great little bento to accompany my curry rice main dish.
In the picture, clockwise from the top, I made stewed pumpkin (my favorite!!!), crunch soy sauce pickles, sauteed asparagus (this should have had sesame seeds, but I was out), hard boiled quail eggs with sea salt, and sauteed asparagus with bonito flakes.