Spicy Aztec Hot Chocolate

Boil 1 1/2 cups of water in a large pot until it reaches a rolling boil; then, add the entire chili pepper, including its seeds, to the boiling water and let it simmer at a high heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

Strain the chili pepper and its seeds from the water using a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth; transfer the chili pepper-infused water back to the pot. Next, add 4 cups of fresh water to the pot with the chili pepper infusion; lower the heat to a low-medium setting and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

Stir in the cocoa powder and vanilla extract until they are fully incorporated into the boiling water; continue to cook and stir the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cocoa powder has completely dissolved.