Fish Sauce for Dipping

You know that stuff that you get at the Vietnamese place that's in a little bowl with floaty carrots?  It's called fish sauce, but it's not the same as the fish sauce you get in the store.  It's actually very diluted and sweetened.  Also if you can use this to dump on to noodle bowls.  Here's the recipe:

Fish Sauce (for Dipping)

1 cup sugar
4 cups water
small handful of grated carrot
8 Tbsp vinegar
2 cloves garlic (crushed & minced)
6 Tbsp fish sauce (use Squid Brand)

Method:
1. This first part is a bit tricky so be careful.  In a saucepan melt sugar until it just starts to turn gold (this happens super fast and quickly turns too brown and nasty, if that happens start over).  Immediately add the water in, which will cause a hell-storm of spattering (you've been warned).  Things will calm down to a light boil, at which point you will stir until all the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add carrots, vinegar, garlic.  Let cool to room temperature.
3. Add fish sauce.  If you add the fish sauce when the mixture is still hot, you and everything in your house will smell strongly of fermented fish for a month.  This keeps in the fridge for a long time.