The first thing I ever learnt to cook was fried dumplings — my Gran taught me. It was the fast food for every household in Jamaica. Put about 250g of self-raising flour (white or wholegrain) into a good-sized bowl then add a pinch of salt, 2 tbsp of demerara sugar and a pinch of mixed spice if you wish. Mix together.

Fill a tea cup with water and add half of it. Knead the mixture with your hands and keep adding water until the dough begins to form. Don’t make it too soggy — add more flour if this happens. It should be firm and dry when all the flour is absorbed. Cover the bowl with a dish cloth for 10 minutes.

Heat a saucepan and pour in half a tea cup of vegetable oil. Roll out the dough and break it into 6 or 7 pieces.

Roll them into balls in your palms and flatten until they are three or more inches across. Fry in hot oil, turning every minute or so and poking a fork into them so the insides cook. Keep frying and poking for 5-6 minutes until golden. Take them out, leave to cool. Have them as they are or slice them open and stuff with tuna, cheese, bacon) or ham.

How to enter the competition

Do you have your own secret recipe? A family favourite passed on through generations or a dish you learnt from your best friend? If you’d like to share it then send it to us and we’ll consider it for publication. If it arrives before 5pm on May 27, it will automatically be entered for our Reader’s Recipe Exchange competition. Gordon Ramsay will select his five favourites and each winner will receive Waitrose vouchers worth £150 (also redeemable at John Lewis).

Send your favourite family recipes to recipeexchange@thetimes.co.uk or post them online by clicking here.

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