Bring the water with sugar and a little salt to the boil. Cover and cook the carrots and onions in it.
Boil the potatoes separately in salted water in a second saucepan. Save the cooking water.
Slowly drain the bacon in a pan. Remove the greaves.
Mash the cooked carrots and onions together with the cooking liquid in the saucepan. Add the potatoes and mash them too. Add the bacon fat and stir in well. If the stew is too thick, add some of the potato water.
Season with salt and pepper. Season to taste with lemon juice.
There are also traditional Dutch hooked balls.
Since great-grandmother lived in Holland for many years, she prepared a lot the Dutch way.