Sprinkle the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Film the bottom of a heaby skillet or saute pan with olive oil and brown the shanks over high heat. Set aside.

Heat the 3 Tbsp olive oil in the bottom of a tagine over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, paprika, ginger, cumin and saffron and saute for 10 minutes. Add the lamb shanks and water. Cover and simmer the lamb over low heat for about 1 1/2 hours, until tender. When the meat is tender, add the strips of lemon zest, olives, lemon juice, cilantro, and parsley and simmer 15 minutes longer. You can also braise the lamb in a 350F oven for 1 1/2 hours. Taste the pan juices and add more lemon juice, if needed.

Remove the lamb to serving plates and spoon the pan juices on top.