Um, Yum Cha only just officially became a word

We've been eating it for so long, but it wasn't officially in our language until recently.

Let's throw a Yum Cha party! Source: Getty Images

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has updated it’s words for March 2016, adding a list of 19 Singapore English terms and 13 Hong Kong English terms.

And on this list “Yum Cha” has now become an official word. Yum Cha is a type of Chinese brunch, which generally involves drinking tea and eating dim sum in the late morning or early afternoon. Luckily the OED says it’s an official word now because Australians have been enjoying it for years.

To celebrate its inauguration into the English language why not throw a Yum Cha party. Here’s how you can make Yum Cha at home and you can try our Yum Cha Beef Ball recipe.

"Chilli crab" also made it into the dictionary. The term is described as, “a dish originating in Singapore but also popular in Malaysia, consisting of crab cooked in a sweet and spicy gravy containing red chillies and tomato.”

You should use the new official word and try our Singapore chilli crab recipe or our Singapore wok fried black pepper crab recipe.

Singapore chilli crab. Source: Chris Chen

"Char Siu" is also now a word in the OED and it is defined as, “roast pork marinated in a sweet and savoury sauce, typically served sliced into thin strips.”

Our mouths are watering. You should whip up our char siu pork belly or our char siu Chinese bbq pork recipe.

Char siu pork belly. Source: SBS

Other food mentions from Singapore and Hong kong that made the list are “dai pai dong” meaning an open-air food stall, “wet market” meaning a market for the sale of fresh meat, fish and produce, and “hawker centre” meaning a food market where individual vendors sell cooked food and there’s shared seating for customers.

Two beverages were named in the list too. Under Singapore words was “the tarik” meaning a sweet tea milk that you prepare by pouring black liquid back-and-forth between two containers to produce thick foam on top. “Milk tea” was on the list for Hong Kong English words, defined as any drinks made with tea and milk or cream.

If you feel like tea now, try our rich coconut chai recipe, our sweet iced tea recipe or our classic Moroccan mint tea.