Escoveitched Fish - cooking recipe

Ingredients

FISH
4 -6 ounces tilapia fillets
4 key limes or 4 cayman limes
1/2 cup flour
ground black pepper, to taste
seasoning salt, to taste (Johnny's Jamaica Me Crazy Seasoned Sea Salt)
peanut oil (for frying)
MARINADE
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon tortuga hell-fire hot pepper sauce (found at Tortuga Rums online) or 1 teaspoon scotch bonnet pepper, to taste (minced and seeded)
1 medium carrot, cut into julienne strips
1 small chayotes, peeled and cut into strips (cho-cho) or 1 small zucchini (sliced in strips)
2 medium onions, sliced into thin rings
12 allspice berries
8 whole black peppercorns

Preparation

FISH:
Rinse the Tilapia filets with water and sprinkle generously with lime juice.
Let sit for 20 minutes.
Pat dry and sprinkle each piece generously with seasoned salt and black pepper.
Pour the flour into a shallow bowl and dredge each piece lightly, shaking off excess.
Set aside.
Heat about 1/2 inch of peanut oil in a frying pan until hot (but not smoking) and fry fish until light golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Remove fish and drain on paper towels, then arrange in a single layer in glass dish.
MARINADE:
In a non-reactive saucepan, combine all remaining ingredients, from vinegar to black peppercorns, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about five minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm, about 20 minutes, then pour 3/4 marinade over the fish. (If you add it while still very hot, it will cook the fish more and turn it to mush.).
Arrange fish so all pieces are evenly covered with mixture.
Allow to marinate for at least eight hours or overnight in refrigerator, but serve at room temperature.
When serving fish, serve the remaining marinade on the side.