Child returned with hot food (4)
I believe the answer is:
nosh
'food' is the definition.
(nosh is a kind of food)
'child returned with hot' is the wordplay.
'child' becomes 'son' (male child).
'returned' is a reversal indicator.
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'hot' becomes 'h' (abbreviation eg on taps).
'son' written backwards gives 'nos'.
'nos'+'h'='NOSH'
(Other definitions for nosh that I've seen before include "Food (sl.)" , "Food - eat greedily" , "Slangy food or meal" , "A slang meal" , "eating this?" .)