Start race, say, for dessert (4)
I believe the answer is:
sago
'start' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot see how one could define the other.
'race say for dessert' is the wordplay.
'race say' becomes 'go' (racing is a kind of going).
'for' says to put letters next to each other (I've seen this in other clues).
'dessert' becomes 'sa' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'go' after 'sa' is 'SAGO'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sago that I've seen before include "Starchy foodstuff" , "Type of milk pudding" , "Starchy cereal used in puddings" , "Edible palm starch" , "Cereal, used in pudding" .)