What is "milcao"

Milcao or Melcao (sometimes hypercorrected to Milcado) is a traditional dish originating from the Chiloé Archipelago in Chile. The dish is a type of potato pancake prepared with raw grated potatoes and cooked mashed potatoes mixed with other ingredients. It forms an important part of the Chiloé dishes curanto and reitimiento, and is mentioned frequently in folklore as part of Chilote songs and riddles. The dish spread to the south of Chile and Argentina with the migration of many Chilote families to Patagonia during the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.