Asian dietary staple: jam sandwiches to start with (7)
I believe the answer is:
noodles
'asian dietary staple jam sandwiches to start with' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'jam sandwiches to start with' is the wordplay.
'jam' becomes 'noodle' (both can mean to improvise musically).
'to start with' indicates taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'sandwiches' is 's'.
'noodle'+'s'='NOODLES'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for noodles that I've seen before include "Far Eastern food" , "idiots!" , "Pasta ribbons" , "Narrow strips of pasta, or slang heads" , "Egg pasta; simpletons" .)