In a Dutch oven, add the all the ingredients, except the garlic and vegetable oil. Mix ingredients together and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour. After one hour or more, turn on the fire and bring the chicken to a boil. Stew on low fire for about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat up the oil, add the chopped garlic and cook on a low fire until the garlic is fragrant for about 15 seconds. Then add the chicken and fry in the garlic oil mixture for about a minute. Turn the chicken pieces over and fry for another minute ensuring the chicken is coated with the garlic and oil mixture.
Remove remaining liquid from the Dutch oven, and add to the frying pan to deglaze. Bring the fire up to high and cook for approximately 5 minutes. For a thicker sauce, cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve the chicken with steamed jasmine rice, and garnish with the scallions.
How to cook Jasmine Rice: Rinse rice thoroughly in 2-3 changes of water. Drain. For softer rice, use 1 cup rice to 1 3/4 cups of water; for firmer rice, use 1 cup rice to 1 1/4 cup water.
Chef's Notes: Filipinos make this dish with white vinegar. I prefer the taste of balsamic vinegar instead. It's a bit sweeter and it balances the flavor of the dish better than white vinegar.