Gain favour with a hot dish (5)
I believe the answer is:
curry
'hot dish' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for curry that I've seen before include "Vindaloo, for example" , "Pungent Indian dish" , "Korma, for example" , "groom" , "Hot spicy dish" .)