easy philipino chicken soup

1 chicken in pieces
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 soy sauce
5 cloves of garlic (minced or mashed)
1/2 cup water
2 bay leaves
1 tsp of black peppercorns
1/2 tbsp brown sugar

Step 1: in a pan, combine the meat, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns. Pour in vinegar - Do Not Stir.
Step 2: bring to boil, stir and turn meat, simmer for about 10 mins.
Step 3: stir in soy sauce, sugar and water. simmer till meat is tender, add more water if it is drying out or you want more sauce.

4: (Optional) Pan fry meat very breifly, just to brown the outside, and then put back in to the sauce/soup.
5: (Optional) Add some thickener like cornstarch (or porridge oats) dissolved in water. then add in to the sauce.
6: (Optional) Add carrots, peas, sweetcorn.