Keziah the best thing to replace the pepper flakes would be sesame seeds! I make something very much like this and use sesame seeds and I put mine into the oven, not in a pot on the stove. It is very tasty!!! Try the sesame seeds you will not be disappointed:)

Thanks Cook Chatty Cathy.

I'll use that exchange. I can't wait to have people down because I have loads of new tastes for them to try from this site.

The red pepper flakes are optional. You can totally leave them out.