al dente

The finished dish should be incredibly silky and thick, with perfectly al dente noodles slicked in a rich, lemony sauce.

Be sure to salt your water heavily — “like the ocean,” as chef Anne Burrell always says — and to cook al dente, even a minute or two shy of the box directions.

You want the rice to still have a subtle, slight bite, almost like an al dente noodle.

Meanwhile, low glycemic index carbs, such as parboiled rice and al dente pasta, that are more slowly absorbed and produce a smaller blood sugar spike are associated with decreased risk.

Once it is just shy of al dente, drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.