Wash the fish in water with the juice from the lime/lemon. Drain away the excess water and dry the fish.
Mix 1 tsp salt and the black pepper to make the fish seasoning. Rub the seasoning all over and into the fish. Cut small deep gashes on each side of the fish and rub the seasoning into it.
Add cooking oil to a frying pan, just enough to cover one side of the fish at a time (you are NOT deep frying the fish). Place on high heat. Let the oil hot to smoke point.
Cut the garlic cloves in half and drop them into the oil with 5 grains of pimentos berries and a whole scotch bonnet pepper.
Carefully place the fish in the hot oil. After 2-3 minutes, turn the heat down to medium-low (you don't want the fish to brown before they cook). Fry both sides of the fish until it is crispy.
Escovitch sauce
Pour away the oil in the frying leaving about 1 tbsp. Add the onion, the rest of the pimento berries, the slice of scotch bonnet pepper, carrot strips and sauté for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Add the vinegar and brown sugar, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the fried fish and leave to absorb the flavour.
Notes
Use only one scotch bonnet pepper in the Escovitch sauce if you can't take too much spice.